Suspected Stalker Asked: 'However What If I Am Madeleine?'
A female indicted with pursuing Kate McCann apparently deposited her a voicemail message which questioned: "suppose I am Madeleine?"
Julia Wandelt, 24, who witnesses stated has consistently declared she was the vanished Madeleine McCann, and Karen Spragg are standing trial charged with stalking Kate and Gerry McCann from June 2022 and February 2025.
On Monday, the court heard communication data and information retrieved from phones logged Ms Wandelt persistently asking Madeleine's mother for a biological test over the past two years.
Madeleine's case in 2007 - at the age of three during a family holiday in Portugal - is among the most widely reported investigations and continues to be open.
'I Don't Want Money'
One phone message, presented in court, captured Ms Wandelt declaring: "I know I'm overweight and plain like Madeleine had been, but I believe what I believe."
While a separate message of Ms Wandelt's one-way conversations with Mrs McCann's recording said: "What if there is a tiny probability that I am Madeleine? What then? Is that not significant for you?"
"I don't want money, I have a living here in Poland, I only wish to discover," the message continued.
The jury was informed that through emails, text messages and communications, Ms Wandelt asked for a biological test, forwarded childhood photos to her phone in a attempt to demonstrate a likeness to Mrs McCann's missing daughter, and stated to have "memories" from a youth with the McCanns.
Robert Jones, an investigator with law enforcement who collated the information, informed the court there "didn't appear to be any responses" from Mrs McCann.
Ms Wandelt furthermore contacted acquaintances of the McCanns, according to the call data.
On October 9th, 2024, the father answered a call from Ms Wandelt to his wife's phone, declaring she had "a wrong number."
On that occasion Ms Wandelt deposited a message on Mrs McCann's recording declaring "I will continue and I plan to establish my claim."
The court learned the co-defendant developed a connection via internet with Ms Wandelt prior to joining her on a appearance to the McCanns' home in the county in December 2024.
Call logs showed Mrs Spragg had reached out using messaging service to Mrs McCann to state the news outlets had portrayed Ms Wandelt as "emotionally disturbed" but that she deserved to be treated respectfully in the months before the trip to Rothley, Leicestershire, in December 2024.
The court heard correspondence between the two accused, in that autumn, considering trying to get Mrs McCann's biological evidence from her bins or from utensils at a restaurant.
"We have to make a stand," the co-defendant advised Ms Wandelt.
On the evening of the visit to their residence, the defendant dispatched a text which said: "We are sat adjacent to the McCanns' house with our headlights off like private investigators. I wanted to do this with another person I didn't imagine I would be doing that with the McCanns."
The case continues.
