No signal that 'brutal' alleged stalking of McCann may have stopped

Prosecutors mentioned in a lawsuit that the 2 ladies's alleged stalking of the McCann household was “cruel and inexcusable” and confirmed no indicators of stopping.

Michael Duck Casey mentioned the proof confirmed that Polish nationwide Julia Wandelt, who has claimed to have murdered Madeleine McCann since 2022, was “incredibly manipulative”.

Addressing the jury at Leicester Crown Court, he mentioned Karen Sprague, 61, who helped organize the doorstep confrontation on the McCanns' house for DNA testing, was “no sidekick” and a “willing participant” with a “preconceived notion” of the unsolved disappearance in Portugal in 2007.

Both deny that their stalking of Gerry and Kate McCann over the previous two and a half years has brought about them severe anxiousness and misery.

Mr Duck mentioned a letter was “co-written” by the 2 defendants, signed by Miss Wandelt as Madeleine and hand-delivered to the McCanns' deal with in December 2024, a day after he was informed to cease making an attempt to contact them, indicating that the couple's household's “agony” was “not going to stop”.

He mentioned any suggestion of taking a DNA check that may cease him from pursuing them was “nonsense”.

Mr Duck refused to just accept Ms Wandelt was “finally game over” when informed in regards to the DNA leads to April this 12 months.

When he prompt that Miss Wandelt's childhood reminiscences as Madeleine McCann have been “a manifestation” and that the main points got here from McCann's house movies that have been revealed on-line, Miss Wandelt turned emotional and left the dock in tears.

They additionally highlighted every thing from Mrs Sprague signing messages as Madeleine and calling Mrs McCann “Mummy”, to Mrs Sprague sending messages to Mrs McCann saying Miss Wandelt solely “believes she may be the missing girl”.

He mentioned: “These two labored collectively, and had the power and willingness to control.

“It is totally clear that there was and by no means might be any proof to assist his perception based mostly on something apart from his personal claims.

“Julia Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann, and the only people who aren't willing to admit that are those two sitting in the courtroom.”

Addressing the jury, decide Mrs Justice Cutts Casey mentioned that anybody who had an opinion on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007 ought to “put them aside” and think about solely the proof heard in the course of the trial.

He mentioned each defendants have been of beforehand good character, with Mrs. Sprague having just one prior warning on her 2006 report for slapping her neighbor on the again of the pinnacle throughout an argument.

Karen Sprague's finest pal mentioned within the lawsuit that the 61-year-old man was “honest, trustworthy and certainly honest.”

A personality reference from Karen Sprague's pal of 40 years, care employee Susan Aherne, was learn to the courtroom, talking of a “real person” who would “listen and support whole-heartedly”.

Julia Wandelt, 24, of Jana Kochanowskiego in Lublin, Poland, and Karen Sprague, 61, of Carrow Court Road, Cardiff, deny inflicting misery and anxiousness by stalking the McCanns between June 2022 and February 2025.

The lawsuit is ongoing.