An accused stalker who claimed to be the abducted child was ruled out after a secret DNA test proved conclusively she was not the missing girl, investigators stated in court.
Julia Wandelt, aged 24, faces charges for a campaign of harassment against the family of Madeleine, who disappeared from Praia da Luz in Portugal in 2007 at the age of three.
The Polish national overwhelmed Kate and Gerry McCann and their grown-up kids, Sean and Amelie, with hundreds of calls, messages, voicemails and letters between 2022 and earlier this year, and visited their home demanding a DNA test, jurors learned during proceedings.
Giving evidence on Tuesday, the chief investigator on Madeleine's disappearance, said he had gone against procedure to test Wandelt “in the hope she may stop her actions towards the McCann family”.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cramwell said 13 people had earlier asserted to be Madeleine McCann but that: “We would not take DNA without strong belief that person was Madeleine because I wished to avoid setting a precedent.
“If it got out in the media I had taken DNA from a person probably not to be Madeleine, I was worried I would have had a lot of people coming forward saying ‘I’m Madeleine’.
“I sincerely hold major concerns about approaching the family to say I intend to take DNA from an individual – that could have given them false hope. It could have been quite emotionally damaging and difficult for the family.”
He said investigators had previously assessed Wandelt not to be Madeleine due to a lack of resemblance and that she was not the same age than the child. But, he said, after learning Leicester police were going to take into custody Wandelt on criminal accusations, he “decided that the DNA would be taken upon arrest”.
He said: “A comparison took place. It conclusively proved that Julia Wandelt is definitely not Madeleine McCann.”
Jurors learned that in April this year, the detective visited Wandelt under arrest and told her that her DNA had been matched against Madeleine’s and that the profiles did not match. Jurors were told he told Wandelt while speaking with her: “You are not Madeleine McCann.”
Evidence showed that throughout their discussion, Wandelt inquired: “Do you sincerely wish to find Madeleine?”, and Cranwell told the jury he responded: “Yes.”
He said even with the results, he believed Wandelt “would suggest we have interfered with the sample”, stating: “It was possible she would refuse to acknowledge she is not Madeleine despite being given scientific proof.”
During previous hearings, the court heard how the McCanns were left scared and upset by their “unnerving” and “profoundly unsettling” interactions with Wandelt and the other accused Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, as both defendants attempted to demand a DNA test.
Jurors heard how the pair made ever more strange plans” to acquire Kate McCann’s DNA, which included rummaging in the McCanns’ bins and taking forks from restaurants that the family visited.
Both defendants both deny one count of stalking. The trial continues.
A seasoned casino strategist with over a decade of experience in gaming analysis and player psychology, Elena shares insights to help players succeed.
