A court has been informed that a woman, Julia Wandelt, from Lubin, Poland, expressed doubts about her identity by claiming to be Madeleine McCann, the missing British girl, who vanished during a family vacation in Portugal in 2007. Wandelt, 24, is currently on trial in the UK along with Karen Spragg, 61, from Caerau, Cardiff, accused of stalking Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann.
During the proceedings at Leicester Crown Court, it was revealed that Wandelt genuinely believed she was Madeleine McCann, sparked by a visit to a psychologist that led her to contact Operation Grange investigators stating her belief. The court also heard that Wandelt faced mental health struggles, engaged in self-harm during her youth, and underwent multiple therapy sessions.
Under questioning by defence counsel Tom Price KC, Wandelt acknowledged that her visit to a female therapist prompted her to question her identity and seek answers from her parents about her past. This doubt culminated in her firmly believing she was Madeleine McCann, leading her to reach out to investigators to express her uncertainty.
Despite the ongoing trial, Wandelt confirmed to her barrister that she still questions her identity. In a message dated June 24, 2022, submitted as evidence in court, she detailed her reasons for believing she could be Madeleine McCann, citing a distinctive mark on her eye she had when she was younger, which has since faded. She reached out to various law enforcement agencies, including Scotland Yard, Interpol, and the X-files team in Poland.
Both Wandelt and Spragg have denied the allegations of stalking between June 2022 and February 2025, with the trial set to continue.