Overview of the case
The long-running missing-person case surrounding Madeleine McCann took a fresh turn in Leicester Crown Court as Kate McCann testified about distress caused by alleged stalkers. Prosecutors accuse two women of stalking the couple—Karen Spragg and Julia Wandelt—by pursuing communications and, in Wandelt’s case, falsely claiming to be Madeleine McCann. The court heard how the incident unfolded on the McCanns’ driveway in Leicestershire, intensifying the family’s sense of intrusion as the investigation continues.
Who is accused and what is alleged
Two defendants, Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau, Cardiff, Wales, and Julia Wandelt, 24, from Lubin in south-west Poland, face a single count of stalking that caused serious alarm and distress to Kate and her husband Gerry McCann. Wandelt is alleged to have propagated the false claim that she herself was Madeleine, a disappearance that has haunted the family since 2007. Prosecutors say Wandelt engaged in a campaign that involved emails, phone calls, and repeated appearances at the family’s address, while Spragg is accused of accompanying Wandelt and contributing to the distress caused by their actions.
The December driveway incident
Testimony from Ms McCann described a tense confrontation on 7 December last year. Shielded from view by a curtain in the courtroom, she recounted the moment she pulled into the drive and became aware someone was nearby. “I pulled up on the drive… it was really dark, it was the weekend, we had the gales,” she told the Crown’s barrister, recounting how she heard someone call her name and felt the presence of an individual behind her. She recalled the person who identified herself as “mum” and asked for a DNA test, prompting concern and confusion at what felt like a direct challenge.
Emotional impact and reactions
Ms McCann described the encounter as distressing and noted that she asked the visitors to leave. She explained that she was already on edge due to ongoing communications from Wandelt that had reached her earlier in the year. “I told them to leave. I told them I was distressed,” she said, underscoring the personal toll of what she experiences as relentless intrusion into her family’s life.
Account of the other visitor
The testimony also painted a contrast between Wandelt and Spragg. Ms McCann described Wandelt as the more discreetly forceful participant, while Spragg appeared “slightly more aggressive.” The witness’s description highlighted a difficult dynamic on the doorstep, with concerns about the interpretation and intent of the visitors’ actions. Asked whether she wanted the visitors there, Ms McCann’s answer was clear: she did not, and she felt distressed by their presence.
Courtroom atmosphere and next steps
The proceedings took a dramatic turn when, after almost 90 minutes on the witness stand, the judge granted a break. Wandelt began sobbing loudly in the dock, prompting a moment of heightened emotion in the courtroom as she asked, “why are you doing this to me?” The exchange underscored the intense emotions tied to the case, where the line between belief, deception, and legal responsibility is scrutinised by the jury and legal teams alike.
Why this case matters
For the McCanns, the case represents more than a matter of legal procedure. It is a test of their ability to shield their family from intrusive contact while seeking to preserve some sense of normalcy and privacy. The court’s handling of such stalking allegations is closely watched, not only for the outcome of Spragg and Wandelt’s charges but also for what it signals about how the justice system treats families living under the ongoing shadow of a highly publicised disappearance.
What comes next
The court will continue to hear evidence from both sides as it weighs the credibility of the alleged incidents and the intent behind the defendants’ actions. The verdict will hinge on whether the prosecution can prove that the conduct in question caused serious alarm or distress to the McCanns within the specified timeframe, and whether Wandelt’s messaging crossed the threshold into stalking as defined by law.
