Overview: A distressing confrontation on the drive
The case at Leicester Crown Court centers on claims that two women stalked Kate and Gerry McCann, the parents of Madeleine McCann, with allegations extending over the period from mid-2022 to early 2024. The defendants, a Welsh woman and a Polish national, deny the charge of stalking causing serious alarm or distress, insisting their actions were not intended to intimidate or harass the couple. The courtroom heard detailed accounts of how the McCanns were confronted at their home address on a December evening, an encounter that the family described as highly distressing and intrusive.
Who is alleged to be involved?
Karen Spragg, 61, from Caerau Court Road in Caerau, Cardiff, and Julia Wandelt, 24, from Lubin in south-west Poland, are the defendants named in the indictment. Prosecutors allege that Wandelt, in particular, cultivated a disturbing narrative that she herself was Madeleine McCann, a claim that has repeatedly resurfaced in online forums and other communications. The Crown contends that Wandelt and Spragg engaged in a pattern of emails, phone calls, and direct visits to the McCanns’ home as part of a broader campaign to cause fear and disruption.
The evidence: a painful breach of privacy
Kate McCann gave evidence behind a curtain at the dock, describing the moment she first became aware of communications from Wandelt around three years ago. She recalled a December visit to the family home in Leicestershire, where the two women arrived during a gale-y night and asked to speak with her, insisting on a DNA test and pressing for answers about Madeleine’s whereabouts. Mrs McCann said the visitors spoke in a manner that felt invasive and pressured, and she made it clear they should leave. “I told them I was distressed,” she said, recounting how the encounter left her and her husband on edge for days.
How the incident unfolded
According to Mrs McCann, the women waited in the dark on the drive while she was unloading items from the car. She described the mood as tense and unsettling, noting that one of the visitors, Spragg, appeared more aggressive. The witness indicated that she did not welcome the intrusion and that she notified her husband after finally securing the door inside their home. The emotional impact of the episode, she told the court, was compounded by ongoing communications from Wandelt that had already left the family unsettled.
Context: why the case matters beyond the courtroom
The McCanns’ case has long been a flashpoint in a wider debate about online harassment, misinformation, and the vulnerability of families linked to high-profile disappearances. The court has to determine whether the actions of Wandelt and Spragg rose to the level of stalking causing serious alarm and distress, as alleged, or whether the defendants’ conduct falls short of that threshold. The outcome could have implications for how similar cases are prosecuted in the future and could influence public conversations about the boundaries of online influence and the rights of individuals to seek attention or answers in sensitive investigations.
What the trial is testing
Legal arguments hinge on whether the defendants’ conduct was targeted and repeated enough to constitute stalking, and whether their actions caused a substantial level of fear or distress to the McCanns. The jury will consider the credibility of evidence, including communications and visits, and assess whether there was a deliberate attempt to pressure the couple into responding or engaging with the claim that Madeleine had been found or was communicating with them. The case also raises questions about the impact on families dealing with unresolved trauma when confronted with similarly distressing narratives by strangers.
What happens next
The trial has featured testimony from Kate McCann and is expected to continue with further evidence from the prosecution and defense. The court will weigh the seriousness of the allegations against the defendants’ denials and any legal defenses they present. The McCanns have emphasized the enduring pain of living under constant public scrutiny while dealing with the grief of Madeleine’s disappearance, and they have reiterated the need for privacy and safety in their personal lives.
As the case unfolds, observers are watching for how the judiciary interprets modern stalking in the age of digital communication, where false narratives can be rapidly amplified and reach vulnerable families across borders.
