Two women, Julia Wandel and Karen Spragg, have made recent court appearances following charges related to the alleged stalking of the family of Madeleine McCann, who disappeared while on a family holiday in Portugal in 2007. This high-profile case continues to attract significant media attention, given the widespread interest in the McCann family's ongoing search for their missing daughter.
The proceedings took place on 10 February 2024. Julia Wandel, aged 23 and from Lubin in south-west Poland, appeared at Leicester Crown Court for a bail application, which was unsuccessful. She followed the proceedings via a video link from prison, as she did not attend in person. The court's Judge Timothy Spencer KC ruled that specific details regarding Wandel's bail application could not be reported at this stage. Wandel is accused of stalking Kate and Gerry McCann, as well as their children, Sean and Amelie, over a period from 3 January to 15 February 2024. The charges specify that she allegedly attended the McCann family home on 2 May and 7 December 2024, in addition to sending various forms of communication, including letters, voicemails, WhatsApp messages, and Instagram messages directed towards the McCann children.
Karen Spragg, aged 60 and from Caerau, Cardiff, appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on the same day, facing a single charge of stalking that is said to have caused serious alarm or distress. Similar to Wandel, Spragg did not indicate a plea during her court appearance. She was granted conditional bail but is under specific restrictions; she is prohibited from contacting the McCann family or their friends, must refrain from entering Leicester except for legal matters, and is required to reside at her home address. The period associated with her charge extends from 3 May 2024 until 21 February of this year.
Both women are scheduled to return to Leicester Crown Court on 22 April for a plea and trial preparation hearing. The ramifications of their actions underscore the complexities surrounding the enduring impact of high-profile cases on those involved. The case of Madeleine McCann, who was just three years old at the time of her disappearance, remains one of the most reported missing child incidents and continues to evoke public interest years after the event.
Source: Noah Wire Services