Kate McCann Describes Stress from Alleged Stalker Calling

Published: 09 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Kate McCann has spoken in court about the distress caused by an alleged stalker who repeatedly called her “Mum,” as she gave evidence in the trial of a woman claiming to be her missing daughter, Madeleine.

Speaking from behind a screen at Leicester Crown Court, McCann described the emotional toll of the two-and-a-half-year harassment campaign allegedly carried out by Julia Wandelt, 24, a Polish national. Wandelt is accused of sending messages and letters, including one signed “Madeleine x,” claiming to be Madeleine, who vanished in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 at the age of three.

“That was an example of a thing that was getting to me,” McCann said. “It’s obvious the thing I want the most … is for Madeleine to be back and for Madeleine to be calling me ‘Mum.’ And that was really stressful for me. Referring to me as ‘Mum’ is hard.”

The court heard that Wandelt and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, repeatedly contacted the McCanns and even waited outside their home on 7 December 2024. Kate recounted an unsettling encounter as she returned home alone. “I got out of my car and heard a voice in the darkness saying ‘Kate’. I knew it was someone behind me but I didn’t know who it was,” she said.

Recognising Wandelt from pictures, Kate said, “I got a fright and when I realised who it was I felt quite distressed. I think I’d been on edge anyway with all the communication and it just bubbled up.” She managed to enter the house despite Wandelt allegedly trying to block her from closing the door.

The women reportedly requested a DNA test, something McCann said she could not have done without police involvement, as they had already ruled out Wandelt being Madeleine. Kate admitted she briefly felt a “tiny niggle” of doubt amid the intense harassment, despite knowing the claim made no sense.

Madeleine’s father, Gerry McCann, also gave evidence about the same evening, describing the confrontation as “pretty horrible.” He confirmed he was certain Wandelt was not his daughter and recounted answering her phone call, saying: “You’re not Madeleine, please stop calling.” He spoke emotionally about protecting their other children, Amelie and Sean, from the intense public scrutiny surrounding Madeleine’s case.

Kate McCann also revealed that it was only after Wandelt contacted their adult daughter Amelie that the family sought police intervention. She described how Amelie and Sean had endured significant stress as a result of the harassment.

During proceedings, Wandelt appeared to sob in an attempt to be heard by McCann, shouting: “Why are you doing this to me?” She was later led from the dock towards the cells, with her cries audible in the courtroom corridor.

The trial continues to highlight the enduring impact of harassment on the McCann family, as they face renewed emotional strain decades after Madeleine’s disappearance.