A Polish woman who falsely claimed to be missing British child Madeleine McCann was convicted Friday of harassment but acquitted of a more serious stalking charge against the girl’s parents.
Julia Wandelt, 24, was found guilty at Leicester Crown Court of harassing Kate and Gerry McCann for more than two years while insisting she was their daughter, who disappeared in 2007 at age 3 during a family vacation in Portugal.
Prosecutors said Wandelt contacted the McCanns repeatedly, including approaching Kate McCann outside her home last December and sending her a letter addressed to “Mum.” Kate described the contact as “really distressing.”
The court sentenced Wandelt to six months in prison, the maximum penalty for harassment — a term she has already served while in custody. The judge noted her “constant pestering” despite “unequivocal scientific evidence” proving she was not the missing child, who would now be 22.
However, the jury cleared her of stalking, concluding that her actions, though harmful, did not meet the higher threshold required for that offense.
Karen Spragg, 61, a British woman who supported Wandelt’s false claims, was also acquitted of stalking.
In a statement after the verdict, Kate and Gerry McCann said they took “no pleasure” in the conviction. “We hope Ms. Wandelt will receive the care and support she needs and that any vulnerability she has will not be exploited by others,” they said. “Our only wish was for the harassment to stop. If anyone has genuine new information about Madeleine’s disappearance, please pass it to the police.”
Wandelt has been banned indefinitely from contacting the McCanns and has been served with a deportation notice. The judge acknowledged her difficult upbringing but said it “did not justify the way you behaved.”
Wandelt testified that she never intended harm, saying she felt “sympathy” for the McCanns and identified with their loss, claiming, “They look for their child and I look for my parents.” Prosecutors noted this was not the first time she falsely claimed to be a missing person.
Madeleine McCann’s parents continue to campaign for answers about their daughter’s disappearance. The main suspect in the case, a German national, was released from prison in September after serving a seven-year sentence for an unrelated sex offense.