A woman facing trial for allegedly stalking Madeleine McCann’s family claimed to be the missing girl and defiantly told her father, “I will prove my point with or without your help,” according to a court hearing.
The Leicester Crown Court heard a recording of the message as part of the trial involving Katya Wandelt, 24, from Lubin, Poland, and Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, accused of stalking the McCann family.
During the trial, jurors listened to Gerry McCann’s response to a call from Wandelt, in which she identified herself and later left a voicemail asserting her belief that she is Madeleine and expressing determination to uncover her true identity.
Wandelt is accused of sending numerous letters, calls, voicemails, WhatsApp messages to Kate and Gerry McCann, and Instagram messages to Madeleine’s siblings, claiming to be the missing girl. Allegations suggest a persistent “campaign of harassment” lasting over two years, including intrusive visits to the family home and excessive contact with Kate.
Detective Mark Draycott, involved in Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance, testified that Wandelt first contacted him in June 2022. He informed the court that there was no factual basis to support Wandelt’s claim of being Madeleine and emphasized the lack of evidence to substantiate her assertion.
On the other hand, Spragg is facing a charge of stalking causing serious alarm or distress, with the alleged incidents occurring between June 2022 and February 2025. She displayed emotional distress during the trial when recordings of voicemails left by Wandelt for Kate were played in court.