Kate McCann expressed her desire to hear her missing daughter, Madeleine, refer to her as “mum.” This revelation came as she testified in court behind a protective curtain during the trial of two women accused of stalking her family.
Kate recounted how Julia Wandelt, 24, and Karen Spragg, 61, approached her at her residence last December, with Wandelt allegedly claiming to be Madeleine and addressing Kate as her mother. Following this encounter, Kate received a letter signed ‘Madeleine x’ from Wandelt the next day.
During her testimony at Leicester Crown Court, Kate shared the emotional impact of receiving the letter, stating that what she truly wants is for Madeleine to return and call her “mum.” She found it distressing to be referred to as a mother by someone claiming to be her missing daughter.
The letter shown in court expressed apologies for causing distress and claimed a strong emotional connection with Kate. It also mentioned Kate’s alleged belief in the writer’s identity as her daughter and questioned her reluctance to undergo a DNA test together.
Kate recalled the unsettling incident outside her home, where both defendants approached her, with Wandelt insisting she was the missing girl and pleading for a DNA test. Kate described feeling invaded and distressed by the encounter, especially as it occurred during severe weather conditions.
Julia Wandelt, a Polish national, is facing charges of stalking the McCann family for over two and a half years, asserting to be Madeleine. She is being tried alongside Karen Spragg from Cardiff, who is accused of stalking involving serious distress through calls, letters, and visits to the McCann’s residence. The trial is ongoing.