Alleged stalker told it was ‘blindingly obvious’ her DNA does not match Madeleine McCann’s
The man who allegedly stalked Madeleine McCann’s parents was told in court that it was “blindly obvious” that Madeleine McCann’s DNA did not match that of their daughter.
Julia Wandelt, 24, is accused of selling the myth that she was Madeleine while stalking Kate McCann and her husband Gerry by sending emails, phone calls, leaving voicemails and showing up at their address.
Wandelt, a Polish national from Lubin in southwestern Poland, wiped some parts of his face with a tissue during the testimony, burst into tears as he said “I didn’t do anything wrong,” and told the court that he should not have been in the witness box.
Prosecutor Michael Duck KC asked Wandelt whether he still believed Mr McCann might be his father and he replied: “Neither no nor yes.”
Mr Duck said it was “dazzlingly clear” that Wandelt’s DNA profile did not match Madeleine’s.
The prosecutor asked: “Assuming that the profile belongs to Madeleine, do you accept that, just by looking at it, it has nothing to do with you?”
Wandelt said: “Assuming it’s Madeleine’s, yes.”
Wandelt added that Ms McCann hid things from the police investigation and the jury at her trial.
On Thursday, his fourth day of giving evidence to a jury at Leicester Crown Court, he told: “If my memories are wrong, why did Kate McCann further conceal her communications with me when I revealed my memories? She did not say this in court.”
“If I’m wrong, why did he hide the fact that most of the voicemails were about my memories?
“If I’m wrong, why did he hide this part? Why did he hide this or some related information?”
Mr Duck asked whether Ms McCann claimed she was withholding information from the jury or the inquest, and she replied: “Both.”
The jury heard Wandelt claimed he had memories of his abduction and living with the McCann family.
Mr. Duck asked: “Do you understand that your advances are unwanted?” and Wandelt responded: “No, because after all this person is looking for their child, so I didn’t assume this person was unwanted.”
The prosecutor asked: “You were ignored, weren’t you?” and Wandelt replied: “Yes, I was being called by a person who was looking for his child.”
When asked why he thought they didn’t respond, Wandelt said: “Maybe they weren’t allowed to respond. I couldn’t believe it, and still can’t believe it, that the parents of a missing child didn’t want to follow up on a lead.”
Wandelt added: “But I’ve spent three and a half years of my life trying to find out who I am… I think I’m in the wrong place. I shouldn’t be on the witness stand today.”
He said he thought the reason the McCanns did not respond to him was because “they were threatened”.
Wandelt burst into tears, holding a tissue in his hand, and said: “Why am I standing here? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
The court heard Wandelt sent a message to Ms McCann saying “you are corrupt” and “you never wanted to find Madeleine, it’s so sad”.
Explaining why she sent it, Wandelt said: “I was very upset and emotional. I just said a few more things that I probably shouldn’t have said because that’s not my belief. That’s how I felt ignored by everyone.”
“I don’t believe he was corrupt. It was hard for me. I regret saying that part. I was emotional, it was too much for me to handle.”
“It’s a human thing to react that way after being suspended for nearly two years.”
Wandelt said Karen Spragg had been “verbally” aggressive towards Ms McCann when they visited her home in December last year, adding: “I’m sorry Karen.”
Asked if Spragg was the aggressor, Wandelt said: “I don’t want him to have any problems. He had trouble verbally because of his emotions. He was just as frustrated as I was.”
The court heard Wandelt told Spragg not to shout at him during interactions with Ms McCann.
Mr Duck asked: “You thought that was frightening for someone in Miss McCann’s position, didn’t you?”
Wandelt replied: “Yes.”
When asked about the money a friend named Steven Dempster offered him for DNA testing, Wandelt said he wanted to use the money to take legal action in family court.
He said: “That’s why I came to the UK… to then formally compare that DNA profile with the crime scene DNA and then go to the court, the family court, and take legal action.”
Wandelt and co-defendant Spragg, 61, of Caerau Court Road, Caerau, Cardiff, both deny the allegations of stalking.
The trial continues.
