Maddie McCann's Brother and Sister Describe Alleged Stalker's Actions as Extremely Upsetting and Creepy

Madeleine McCann twin siblings, Sean and Amelie, have told the court that their encounters with an accused stalker were deeply disturbing and unsettling. They described feeling anxious and frightened by a woman who claimed she was their long-lost sister.

Relentless Communication Described as Frightening

Testifying remotely, she described how the accused, the 24-year-old, contacted her multiple times through online platforms and written correspondence. She said the persistence was quite frightening because you don’t know what her next move might be.

Communications from the defendant were presented in court, in which she described recollections of being in the McCann household that she claimed were recovered during hypnotherapy. She told the court, It’s quite disturbing that she’s coming up with these supposed memories, despite the fact she isn't Madeleine.

Altered Pictures Increased Distress

Jurors learned that Wandelt had created images of Amelie and herself as young girls, which the state alleged were made with AI tools. Some of these photos were transmitted through online channels, while others were produced physically and included in a mail to her.

She said, It was unpleasant, it caused me to feel very uncomfortable. It was evident she edited the pictures to make me look more like her, which was very disturbing. I knew I didn’t look like that, I knew it had been changed.

Psychological Impact on the Family

Amelie also discussed the impact of the alleged harassment on her mother, their mother, who testified about being confronted at her residence by the defendant and her alleged accomplice, a 61-year-old woman.

I think my mum experienced it as the hardest. She was targeted by the defendant to a greater extent than the others in the family and I think it definitely took its toll on her and her mental health, she said. It’s upsetting when a person is pleading with you to believe them and playing with your emotions, to the extent you are questioning yourself.

Sibling's Testimony on Stress and Online Attention

In a testimony presented to the court, Sean McCann stated that for him, he had not been severely affected by the defendant's alleged stalking. However he had been distressed that she was attracting social media scrutiny, with people posting nasty and unfair things about his mother and father.

In the event that Wandelt was not mentally ill and was fully aware she is not Maddie, yet continues to assert she is, that would be very upsetting for me, he testified. I am convinced she is my sister. The fact that Julia is doing this has resulted in a great deal of anxiety and I find it deeply troubling.

The defendant and her co-defendant deny stalking the family family. Proceedings continue.