Madeleine McCann’s great-aunt gave proof at Leicester Crown Court docket on Friday
The nice-aunt of lacking Madeleine McCann informed a jury of how she was “surprised” when an alleged stalker of the McCanns got here to a vigil of their residence village, stressing that there was “no manner” she was the lacking woman. Kate McCann’s aunt, Janet Kennedy informed Leicester Crown Court docket that she “couldn’t settle for” that Julia Wandelt, 24 was her great-niece who has been lacking for 18 years.
She added that the “important individual that Madeleine is – was – was not there”. Whereas giving proof on Friday, October 10, Mrs Kennedy informed the courtroom Wandelt confronted her throughout the annual occasion at Rothley, Leicestershire, held on Might 3, 2024, and handed her an envelope containing data “that may show she was Madeleine”.
Mrs Kennedy informed jurors: “She mentioned that she was Madeleine and that she was sorry that the McCanns weren’t there, however she wished me to present them some data and he or she offered me with an envelope with data in that may show she was Madeleine.
“I used to be reasonably surprised by her method. I checked out her and thought ‘she is just not Madeleine’. There’s simply no manner she could possibly be Madeleine in any respect.” Don’t miss a courtroom report by signing up to our crime publication right here
She added: “I believe one’s recognition of somebody is one thing that’s intuitive. You simply know the particular person. The important individual that Madeleine is – was – was not there.
“Regardless that Madeleine was practically 4 when she was kidnapped and now I am now assembly somebody 17 years later, the important particular person would nonetheless be recognisable – although the years had moved on.
“When Julia mentioned she was Madeleine… with the color of your pores and skin, you’re Polish, there are distinct variations in the way in which individuals look in line with the place they’re from.
“And the eyes as nicely. The eyes didn’t appear like Madeleine’s eyes. So I couldn’t settle for that.”
The prosecution has alleged that Wandelt, hailing from Lubin in south-west Poland, peddled the misperception that she was Madeleine – the woman who went lacking in Portugal in 2017, over 18 years in the past – and stalked the lacking woman’s mother and father by sending emails, making cellphone calls and turning up at their deal with.
Mrs Kennedy added that Wandelt was “insistent” and had a “willpower” about handing the envelope to her, whereas additionally saying that the latter had been “dismissive” when she urged taking the envelope to police.
Mrs Kennedy added: “Then again, she was any individual I had not met earlier than. I didn’t know her frame of mind. I used to be a bit apprehensive however tried to remain courteous and calm.
“I believe it was simply being confronted by the one who’s claiming to be somebody that I do know she wasn’t.
“I may see the repercussions of this as a result of there had been, earlier than this, some media consideration given to her – this was one more upsetting expertise that the household must undergo.”
The courtroom heard, as Mrs Kennedy recounted, that she took the letter and saved it till Mrs McCann – who had declined to learn it – felt “prepared to have the ability to take a look at it”.
She continued: “Finally, it might have been in the direction of the top of that 12 months, I did get rid of it – I tore it up.
“By this time Julia was visiting the home and bombarding Kate and Gerry with emails and cellphone calls – it was changing into insistent and frequent.”
Talking of her interplay with Wandelt on the vigil held final 12 months, Mrs Kennedy mentioned: “I believe she constructed herself up that she would have been in a position to speak to them (the McCanns). I didn’t really feel in any manner threatened by her.”
Metropolitan Police’s Detective Constable Mark Draycott who took half within the Operation Grange investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance for greater than a decade knowledgeable the courtroom that he had spoken to Wandelt on the cellphone in 2022 after she claimed to be Madeleine.
Talking of why he had referred to as Wandelt, DC Draycott mentioned: “To reassure her she was not Madeleine McCann. I defined we had gone over all the fabric and used our skilled experience… to verify she was not Madeleine McCann.
“She really mentioned she was relieved to not be Madeleine McCann.”
Jurors additionally heard the audio of a second cellphone name between DC Draycott and Wandelt final 12 months, which occurred after she had gone to the vigil, and was utilized in a Youtube crime podcast.
When DC Draycott informed her: “If you happen to trigger any harassment you might be arrested”, Wandelt is heard to answer: “Is that this blackmail?”
On the finish of the decision, Wandelt was heard saying: “I’ll by no means surrender.”
Wandelt and Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau Court docket Highway in Caerau, Cardiff, each deny one rely of stalking.
Get day by day breaking information updates in your cellphone by becoming a member of our WhatsApp group right here. We often deal with members to particular gives, promotions and advertisements from us and our companions. See our Privateness Discover
