Madeleine McCann’s sister has told a court she “always knew” that a woman who claimed to be the missing girl was not her sibling.
Amelie McCann received a string of messages from Julia Wandelt in which she insisted she was her missing sister, who vanished without a trace from a holiday resort in Portugal in 2007.
Ms Wandelt, 24, from Lubin in south-west Poland, is accused of stalking Kate and Gerry McCann, causing serious alarm or distress between June 2022 and February this year.
Giving evidence remotely at Leicester Crown Court, Amelie said it was “creepy” and “distressing” when Ms Wandelt sent her messages detailing apparent flashbacks she had from their childhood.
These included requests for a DNA test and alleged recollections from their childhood such as playing Ring-A-Ring-A-Roses with other children.
Ms Wandelt also sent images of herself which were “clearly altered or edited … to make it look more like her”, the court heard.
“It is quite disturbing that she’s coming up with these supposed memories even though she’s not Madeleine,” Amelie said.
However, she said she did not want Ms Wandelt - who denies stalking - to get a DNA test.
Asked why, Madeleine’s sister continued: “Because I always knew that she wasn’t Madeleine, so I didn’t need to do one and the, not guidance, but the people around me didn’t think it was appropriate either for her to get a DNA test.”
There was a “sound of desperation” in the messages, Amelie said, noting she blocked her on a number of online platforms.
Asked how the messages made her feel, she added: “It makes me feel quite uncomfortable because it is quite creepy she is giving those details and trying to play with my emotions.”
The daughter told jurors the alleged stalking “took a toll” on her mother, who was targeted the most. She said Kate McCann was “stressed and on edge” after Ms Wandelt visited her family home, calling it an “invasion” of their privacy.
“It definitely took a toll on her and her wellbeing because all the time her phone would be going off and it would be Julia,” she added.
“It’s upsetting when someone’s begging you to believe them and playing with your emotions to the point you are questioning yourself and doubting yourself.
“My mum really struggled with that – her saying ‘I’m your daughter’.”
Amelie’s twin brother Sean said he found Ms Wandelt’s claims “hurtful” and “deeply disturbing”.
“I find it disrespectful that she’s making this claim and getting a lot of attention and support for it,” he said in a statement read to the court.
“The fact Julia has no regard for how we feel about her claims is hurtful.”
He added: “I do not believe she is my sister. The fact Julia is doing this has caused me a great deal of stress and I find it deeply disturbing.”
Prosecutors allege Ms Wandelt repeatedly contacted Madeleine’s parents in a string of messages and phone calls and turned up at their address, on one occasion begging “please don’t give up on your daughter”.
She is accused of bombarding the mother with 60 calls and messages in one day, the trial heard.
Kate and Gerry each gave emotional evidence from behind a curtain on Wednesday as they spoke of impact of the “incessant” contact from Ms Wandelt.
The 24-year-old called Kate “mum” when she turned up at their home in Rothley, Leicestershire, in December last year with Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, the court heard.
Wandelt sobbed and shouted “why are you doing this to me?” from the dock as the mother told jurors about the distressing confrontation.
Gerry claimed the alleged stalking had damaged efforts to find his daughter, adding: “It has many effects – we don’t know what happened to Madeleine, there’s no evidence to say she’s dead.
“We really hope, and we know it’s only a glimmer, that Madeleine is alive. When so many people claim to be our missing daughter, it inevitably pulls your heartstrings, but there’s wider effect that is more damaging.”
Opening the crown’s case on Monday, prosecutor Michael Duck KC told jurors that there was “unequivocal scientific evidence” that Ms Wandelt has no familial link to the McCanns.
Ms Wandelt and Ms Spragg, of Caerau Court Road in Caerau, Cardiff, both deny stalking the parents.
The trial continues.
