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Woman Who Claimed She Was Madeleine McCann Convicted of Harassment, Acquitted of Stalking

A judge said her time on remand exceeded the six‑month maximum, prompting an indefinite restraining order.

Overview

  • A Leicester Crown Court jury found Julia Wandelt guilty of harassing Kate and Gerry McCann after a five‑week trial, while co‑defendant Karen Spragg was cleared on all counts.
  • Prosecutors presented DNA evidence showing no familial link to the McCanns, and the judge stated in court that Wandelt is not Madeleine.
  • Jurors heard Wandelt repeatedly sent emails, messages and letters, called more than 60 times in a single day, and confronted Kate McCann outside the family home while seeking a DNA test.
  • Wandelt received a six‑month sentence counted as time served and an indefinite restraining order banning contact with the family and entry to Leicestershire.
  • Reporting indicates she is likely to face deportation following the case, as the McCanns urged anyone with credible new evidence about Madeleine’s disappearance to contact police.