A Polish woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann bombarded the mother of the missing girl with 60 calls and messages in a single day, according to a court.
Julia Wandelt, 24, was in trial on Monday accused of harassing Madeleine’s parents, as well as her other two children.
Mrs. Wandelt became obsessed with the “myth” that she had been kidnapped and transported to Poland, which led her to relentlessly chase the family with emails, phone calls and visits not announced to her address, heard Leicester Crown Court.
She denies the stalking of Kate and Gerry McCann, causing a serious alarm or anguish, between June 2022 and February this year.
Madeleine, who was later three years old, disappeared from her family’s apartment in the Praia Portuguese complex da Luz in May 2007 when her parents drew in a nearby tapas bar.
The posterior posterior hunt attracted world media attention and the case remains one of the most widely reported missing children’s cases.
The jurors were told that there was “unequivocal scientific evidence” that Mrs. Wandelt, of Lubin in the southwest of Poland, does not have a family bond with the McCann, although she claims to have memories of childhood and the disappearance of the girl.
Michael Duck KC, rijicando, said from June 2022, Mrs. Wandelt began to persuade “anyone prepared to listen” that was Madeleine.
‘I’m not a liar, I’m not crazy’
He was told to the jury that he called and sent a message to Mrs. McCann on more than 60 occasions on April day of last year, even about his supposed memories of the kidnapping of the girl.
In a message, the court heard, Mrs. Wandelt said she remembered Mrs. McCann on the night of the kidnapping of Madeleine “I rubbed my head and told you that I love you and would find me.”
A voice email was reproduced on Mrs. McCann’s phone in the jury in which Mrs. Wandelt said: “You have nothing to lose, if I am her, then everyone should be fine, but if I am not, as you probably think, then I will leave you alone.”
“I know that my accent is Polish because I live here, I know that I look fat and I know that I am not enough like Madeleine in the past, but I know what I know, I know what I remember.
“Please give me a chance, I’m not a liar, I’m not crazy; I just want to know the truth. Call me or send me a message or whatever please.”
The case of Madeleine McCann remains one of the most widely reported missing children’s cases: Everton FC/Pa Wire
Duck said: “One of the many tragic consequences for Madeleine, Kate and Gerry McCann’s parents, has been his constant inability to escape the glow of advertising that came with that tragedy.
“The attention they have received has not always been compassionate, sometimes far from it.
“There is a group of people who continue not recognizing their difficult situation and perpetuate conspiracy theories.”
Mr. and Ms. McCann have not been able to “escape the glow of advertising” that came with the tragedy: Joe Giddens/Pa Wire
The prosecutor said that Mrs. Wandelt has claimed to have “flashbacks” of the hypnosis sessions, including a memory of Madeleine’s younger brother who feeds with a spoon.
It is alleged that Wendt called Mrs. McCann “Mommy” in text messages and remembered Roses playing Roses in the rear garden of the family’s house in Rothley, Leinteshire.
The court heard that Mrs. Wandelt contacted Madeleine’s younger sister saying that there were “many things” that he could remember and sent him images in an attempt to “persuade” that “they were somehow related.”
It is said that Mrs. Wandelt also claimed to be two other missing girls.
Mrs. Wandelt missing girl claims
The court heard that Mrs. Wandelt contacted the lack of years, a charity organization that helps with the historical cases of the missing person, in January or February 2023 claiming that Inga Gehricke was, who disappeared in Germany at the age of five in 2009.
“As with Madeleine McCann, Julia Wandelt was prevented from being a realistic candidate under her age and obvious differences,” said the prosecutor.
After these statements were dismissed, Mrs. Wandelt claimed to be another missing girl named Acacia Bishop of Utah, according to the jury.
The audience stopped for ten minutes when Mrs. Wandelt began to cry and went to the back of the dock after Duck said: “Can we at this early stage of the trial clarify this position? That Julia Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.”
Mrs. Wandelt appeared with Karen Spragg, 61, from Caerau, Cardiff. Both women deny harassment.
The trial continues.
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