A woman accused of stalking Madeleine McCann’s parents is in the spotlight as her trial continues. Jurors have been asked to acquit Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old from Poland, who’s accused of causing distress to Kate and Gerry McCann. Julia, it’s claimed, was under the belief that she might be Madeleine, who disappeared in Portugal in 2007. Her barrister argues she approached the McCanns only after exhausting all other avenues to uncover her true identity.
Julia’s lawyer describes her as “confused” rather than malicious, suggesting she reached out to the McCanns out of desperation and not with any harmful intent. He questions what Julia could possibly gain from such actions, implying her behaviour was driven by a genuine need for answers about her past.
Both Julia and her co-defendant, 61-year-old Karen Spragg from Cardiff, deny participating in any “cruel” campaign against the couple. Karen reportedly supported Julia in her quest, believing she might hold the key to solving the McCann mystery.
During the trial, which is held at Leicester Crown Court, it’s been revealed that Julia reached out to multiple agencies, including police forces in the UK, Portugal, and Poland. She even requested a DNA test to clarify any connections, which turned out to show no link to the McCanns.
Her lawyer paints Julia as a “sad and pathetic young woman” in search of her identity, urging the jury to see her actions as confused rather than threatening. He adds that until the DNA test was performed, nobody could say with certainty that Julia wasn’t Madeleine.
The trial continues, with both defendants maintaining their innocence against the stalking allegations. Keep an eye on this intriguing case as new details emerge.