Accused Stalker Inquired: 'However Suppose I Could Be Madeleine?'
A woman charged with pursuing Kate McCann apparently left her a phone message which asked: "suppose I am Madeleine?"
The defendant, twenty-four, who a jury heard has consistently asserted she was the vanished Madeleine McCann, and Karen Spragg are standing trial indicted with pursuing Kate and Gerry McCann between June 2022 and February this year.
On Monday, the court was told call records and data recovered from phones logged Ms Wandelt consistently demanding Madeleine's mother for a biological test during 2023 and 2024.
Madeleine's disappearance in 2007 - at the age of three during a family holiday in Portugal - is one of the most covered child disappearance cases and is still open.
'I Do Not Need Money'
Another recorded message, shared in court, captured Ms Wandelt declaring: "I understand I'm overweight and unattractive like Madeleine was, but I know what I know."
While another instance of Ms Wandelt's one-way conversations with Mrs McCann's voicemail said: "Imagine there is a slight possibility that I am she? Then what? Is that not significant for you?"
"I do not need money, I maintain a living here in Poland, I only wish to discover," the message continued.
The panel was told that via emails, mobile messages and calls, Ms Wandelt demanded a DNA test, forwarded childhood photos to her phone in a attempt to display a likeness to Mrs McCann's disappeared daughter, and claimed to have "recollections" from a youth with the McCanns.
Robert Jones, an intelligence analyst with Leicestershire Police who collated the information, told the court there "seemed to lack any replies" from Mrs McCann.
Ms Wandelt furthermore contacted family friends of the McCanns, as per the communication logs.
On that date, Gerry McCann responded to a call from Ms Wandelt to his wife's phone, declaring she had "incorrect contact information."
During that incident Ms Wandelt deposited a recording on Mrs McCann's recording declaring "I will persist and I intend to demonstrate my claim."
The court heard the co-defendant established a relationship through digital means with Ms Wandelt prior to accompanying her on a appearance to the McCanns' home in the county in that winter.
Communication data revealed Mrs Spragg had contacted through WhatsApp to Mrs McCann to state the media had characterized Ms Wandelt as "emotionally disturbed" but that she ought to be considered genuine in the period before the trip to that location, the county, in last December.
The court heard correspondence between the two individuals, in last November, considering attempting to acquire Mrs McCann's biological evidence from her trash or from utensils at a dining venue.
"We must take action," the co-defendant told Ms Wandelt.
On the evening of the trip to their house, Mrs Spragg transmitted a communication which said: "We are sat outside the McCanns' home with our vehicle dark similar to investigators. I desired to achieve this with another person I didn't imagine I would be involved in this with the McCanns."
The trial continues.
