Madeleine McCann's Brother and Sister Describe Supposed Harasser's Actions as Extremely Upsetting and Unsettling

Maddie McCann brother and sister, Sean and Amelie, have testified in court that their encounters with an accused stalker were deeply upsetting and unsettling. The siblings explained feeling anxious and frightened by a woman who insisted she was their missing sister.

Persistent Contact Described as Scary

Testifying via video link, she described how the defendant, the 24-year-old, contacted her repeatedly through social media and written correspondence. She said the relentlessness was quite scary because it's impossible to predict what her next move might be.

Messages from Wandelt were read in the trial, in which she recounted recollections of being in the McCann household that she said were recalled during hypnotherapy. She testified, It's very disturbing that she’s coming up with these alleged recollections, despite the fact she isn't Madeleine.

Altered Images Heightened Distress

The court learned that Wandelt had produced pictures of herself and Amelie as children, which the prosecution said were generated with AI tools. A number of these photos were transmitted through online channels, while additional ones were printed and included in a letter to Amelie.

She said, It was unpleasant, it caused me to feel very uneasy. It was evident she edited the images to make me appear similar to her, which was very disturbing. I knew I didn’t look like that, I knew it had been changed.

Emotional Impact on the Household

She also spoke about the effect of the supposed harassment on her parent, Kate, who testified about being approached at home by the defendant and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg.

I think my mum experienced it as the hardest. She was targeted by the defendant more than the rest of us and I think it definitely took its toll on her and her mental health, Amelie testified. It’s upsetting when someone’s pleading with you to accept their claims and playing with your emotions, to the point you are questioning yourself.

Brother's Statement on Stress and Digital Scrutiny

In a testimony presented to the trial, Sean McCann said that for him, he had not been too badly affected by the defendant's alleged stalking. However he had been upset that she was drawing social media scrutiny, with people posting hurtful and unjust comments about his mother and father.

If she was not suffering from a psychological condition and was fully aware she is not Madeleine, yet continues to assert she is, that would be very distressing for me, he said. I do not believe she is my sibling. The fact that the defendant is doing this has caused me a significant amount of stress and I find it deeply troubling.

Wandelt and Spragg have pleaded not guilty to stalking the McCann household. Proceedings are ongoing.