A woman who claims to be the missing Madeleine McCann has raised safety concerns after a dramatic prison incident. Julia Wandelt, 24, appearing at Leicester Crown Court, alleges someone tampered with her drink in prison just days before her trial for stalking the McCanns. Both Wandelt and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg from Cardiff, deny stalking charges after allegedly emailing, calling, and visiting the McCanns’ home. Wandelt insists her claims deserve a proper investigation, stating that her identity remains in question even if she’s found not guilty. Despite authorities dismissing her claim to be Madeleine, she has a staunch supporter in a friend affected by the Post Office scandal, who offered to fund a DNA test for her.
Wandelt claims her approach to authorities has been met with intimidation, and she questions why the extensive resources dedicated to Madeleine’s case haven’t been used to investigate her claims. She argues if she had been helped sooner, the mystery could have been resolved without distress to the McCanns. Wandelt, who reportedly filled out a complaint form against the police, feels she’s a victim of a miscarriage of justice. Both Wandelt and Spragg, 61, are adamant that they did not intend to cause alarm or distress to the McCanns.
The trial continues, with both defendants continuing to deny the charges against them. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving story.