Julia Wandel, who alleged she was Madeleine McCann, has been charged with stalking the McCann family. She faces serious allegations following her recent arrest.
Stalking Charges Against Woman Claiming to be Missing Madeleine McCann
Stalking Charges Against Woman Claiming to be Missing Madeleine McCann
Julia Wandel has been charged with multiple counts of stalking the McCann family, raising questions surrounding her identity claims and actions.
A woman who claimed to be missing child Madeleine McCann has been brought before the court, facing charges of stalking the family of the well-known missing girl. Julia Wandel, a 23-year-old originally from Poland, was apprehended at Bristol Airport on a Wednesday after being linked to several incidents of alleged stalking that caused significant alarm and distress to the McCann family.
Wandel, who has also identified as Julia Wandelt, was detained following various disturbing interactions with Kate and Gerry McCann, as well as their children, over a span of time from January 3, 2024, to February 15, 2025. Documents presented in Leicester Magistrates' Court indicate that she is alleged to have sent unsolicited messages and left multiple voicemails, in addition to making two visits to the McCann family home on key dates including May 2 and December 7.
The court has noted that her conduct had "a substantial adverse effect" on the family, indicating that she was aware that her actions could cause them alarm or distress. The case is further complicated by the unfortunate backdrop of Madeleine McCann’s widely publicized disappearance in Portugal in 2007, which remains unsolved and continues to attract international media attention.
In a social media post earlier in 2023, Wandel claimed she believed she was McCann, citing memory gaps linked to early childhood trauma. However, a DNA test later revealed her Polish and some Lithuanian and Romanian ancestry, contradicting her assertions about her identity. In conjunction with Wandel’s arrest, a 60-year-old woman from Wales was also taken into custody on the same charges but has since been released on bail, according to reports from Leicestershire Police.
The upcoming legal proceedings are set for April 7, when Wandel is expected to enter a plea at the crown court in Leicester. This disturbing episode adds another layer to the long and tragic narrative surrounding one of the most notorious missing person cases in modern history.
