Maddie McCann's Brother and Sister Describe Alleged Harasser's Actions as Deeply Disturbing and Creepy
Madeleine McCann twin siblings, Amelie and Sean, have told the court that their interactions with an accused harasser were deeply disturbing and unsettling. They described feeling stressed and frightened by a woman who claimed she was their missing sister.
Persistent Communication Detailed as Frightening
Testifying via video link, Amelie stated how the defendant, the 24-year-old, contacted her multiple times through social media and letters. She said the persistence was very frightening since you don’t know what she’ll do next.
Messages from Wandelt were read in the trial, in which she described memories of living in the family home that she said were recalled during hypnotherapy. Amelie testified, It's very disturbing that she’s coming up with these alleged memories, despite the fact she isn't Madeleine.
Altered Images Heightened Unease
The court heard that the accused had created images of herself and Amelie as young girls, which the prosecution alleged were made with AI tools. Some of these images were sent through online channels, while others were produced physically and enclosed in a letter to her.
She said, I didn’t like it, it made me feel very uneasy. She had clearly edited the images to make me appear similar to her, which was very disturbing. I knew I didn’t look like that, I knew it had been manipulated.
Psychological Impact on the Family
She also spoke about the impact of the alleged harassment on her mother, their mother, who testified about being confronted at home by the defendant and her alleged accomplice, a 61-year-old woman.
In my opinion my mother experienced it as the hardest. My mother was targeted by the defendant to a greater extent than the rest of us and I think it certainly took its toll on her and her mental health, she testified. It’s upsetting when a person is pleading with you to believe them and playing with your emotions, to the point you are questioning yourself.
Brother's Statement on Anxiety and Digital Attention
In a witness statement read to the court, her brother said that personally, he had not been too badly impacted by Wandelt's accused stalking. But he had been upset that she was attracting online attention, with people saying hurtful and unjust comments about his parents.
If she was not mentally ill and was fully aware she is not Madeleine, yet continues to assert she is, that would be very upsetting for me, he said. I am convinced she is my sibling. The reality that the defendant is engaging in this behavior has resulted in a significant amount of stress and I find it deeply disturbing.
The defendant and her co-defendant deny stalking the McCann household. The trial continue.