A DNA test taken from Julia Wandelt, a woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann, conclusively proved that she is not the missing child, a court has heard.
Wandelt, 24, from Lubin, Poland, and Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, are on trial at Leicester Crown Court charged with stalking Madeleine McCann's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann.
The trial revealed that DNA samples were taken from Wandelt upon her arrest in February 2025, with the results delivered to her in April at Peterborough Prison, which she disputed.
Madeleine McCann disappeared at the age of three in Portugal in 2007, in one of the most widely reported missing child cases, which remains unsolved.
Since 2022, Wandelt has claimed to be Madeleine and has pursued the McCann family with messages, calls, and visits, including demanding a DNA test.
The court heard that the stalking allegations include causing serious alarm and distress to the McCanns.
Operation Grange, the police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, decided in December 2024 to attempt to get Wandelt's DNA tested in hopes of stopping her behavior towards the family.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cramwell stated that the DNA test conclusively proved Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.
Initially, Wandelt's claim had been ruled out after she contacted Operation Grange and Glenfield Hospital, where Gerry McCann works, in June 2022.
However, after media coverage of her claim gained traction, a photo of Wandelt was sent to the McCanns, who were confident she was not their daughter.
The court also heard about the impact on the McCanns, with Kate McCann being bombarded with calls and texts following the press coverage.
In September 2024, the family liaison officer, Detective Sergeant Roger Bearn, asked the McCanns if they wanted to pursue any action, but formal action was not taken at that time due to concerns about Wandelt recording calls with officers and sharing them publicly.
Prosecutor Michael Duck KC explained that Karen Spragg supported Wandelt's claims and conspiracy theories, and together they confronted the McCanns directly in December 2024.
Spragg left a recorded message on Kate McCann's phone urging the couple to take Wandelt seriously and suggesting a possible cover-up involving Operation Grange.
A crime report was filed after Wandelt and an older woman visited the McCanns' home in December 2024.
Wandelt was arrested in February 2025 upon returning to the UK at Bristol Airport, with Spragg detained nearby.
Both defendants deny the stalking charges.
The trial continues as the court examines the allegations and the impact on the McCann family.