Kate McCann faced a chilling encounter as two women accused of stalking arrived at her home, one of whom bizarrely claimed to be her missing daughter, Madeleine McCann. In a court hearing, Kate recounted the unsettling moment she heard someone call her “mum” in her driveway, demanding a DNA test. The alleged stalkers, Julia Wandelt, a Polish national, and Karen Spragg from Cardiff, are under investigation for making the McCanns’ lives a nightmare from June 2022 to February 2025. Both deny the charges.
Describing the distress caused, Kate revealed how she and her husband Gerry coped with constant emails, phone calls, and unexpected visits. On one dark December evening, as she was unloading her car, the unsettling confrontation occurred, leaving her feeling on edge. Wandelt reportedly asked, “Why won’t you do a DNA test?” while Spragg, described as more aggressive, questioned, “Don’t you want to find your daughter?”
Though no threat of harm was perceived, the experience left Kate anxious and on high alert—conditions that only slightly eased with Wandelt’s arrest in February at Bristol Airport. Jurors heard details of an emotional letter from Wandelt, delivered the day after the in-person confrontation, claiming a deep connection with Kate.
In an unexpected turn, Wandelt even attended a vigil for Madeleine, though thankfully the McCanns were not present. Despite the claims, Kate dismissed the possibility of Wandelt being her daughter, noting she’d considered a DNA test just to end the harassment. The trial is ongoing. Stay tuned for updates as the case continues to unfold.