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An accused stalker who asserted to be the missing girl was eliminated after a covert DNA test proved conclusively she was not the missing girl, police have revealed in court.

Harassment Campaign Towards McCann Family

Julia Wandelt, 24, is accused of a campaign of harassment against the relatives of Madeleine, who disappeared from a holiday destination in Portugal in 2007 when she was three.

The Polish citizen flooded Kate and Gerry McCann and their grown-up kids, Sean and Amelie, with numerous phone calls, messages, voicemails and letters from 2022 until recently, and appeared at their home requesting a DNA test, the court was earlier informed.

Investigation Details

Providing testimony on Tuesday, the senior investigating officer on Operation Grange, stated he had gone against procedure to test Wandelt “intending she may stop her behavior towards the McCann family”.

The senior officer said 13 people had previously claimed to be the abducted child but that: “We would not take DNA without strong belief that person was Madeleine because I wished to avoid setting a precedent.

“If it became known in the media I had taken DNA from a person probably not to be Madeleine, I was concerned I would have had a lot of people coming forward saying ‘I’m Madeleine’.

“I genuinely have major concerns about reaching out to the family to say I intend to take DNA from an individual – that could have raised their hopes. It could have been very traumatic and challenging for the family.”

DNA Comparison

He said the police had previously assessed Wandelt not to be Madeleine on account of dissimilar appearance and that she was two years older than Madeleine. But, he said, after learning Leicester police intended to detain Wandelt on harassment allegations, he “made the decision that the DNA would be taken upon arrest”.

He declared: “Testing was conducted. It conclusively proved that Julia Wandelt is definitely not Madeleine McCann.”

Legal Testimony

The court heard that in April this year, Cranwell saw Wandelt in custody 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.”

Testimony indicated that throughout their discussion, Wandelt asked: “Do you really want to find Madeleine?”, and Cranwell told the jury he answered: “Yes.”

He said despite the test, he believed Wandelt “might claim we have interfered with the sample”, adding: “There was a possibility she would never accept she isn't Madeleine even when provided with scientific proof.”

Psychological Toll

During previous hearings, testimony revealed how the McCanns were left terrified and traumatized by their “creepy” and “profoundly unsettling” interactions with Wandelt and the other accused Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, as the pair attempted to demand a DNA test.

The jury were told how the pair made progressively odd plans” to acquire Kate McCann’s DNA, which included going through the McCanns’ bins and stealing utensils from restaurants that they had eaten in.

Wandelt and Spragg both deny one count of stalking. The trial continues.