A sick Polish woman was convicted Friday for cruelly pretending to be missing Madeleine McCann — but cleared of the more serious charge of stalking the UK girl’s long-tormented parents.
Julia Wandelt, 24, was found guilty of harassing Kate and Gerry McCann for over two years while claiming to be their missing daughter, who was just 3 when she vanished in 2007 while on vacation in Portugal.
She had even approached Kate McCann outside her home last December — then sent her a letter addressed to “mum,” the UK spelling of mom, which was “really distressing,” McCann testified.
Wandelt was sentenced to six months in prison, the maximum allowed sentence for harassment — which she has already served since her arrest earlier this year.
However, she was cleared of stalking the McCanns with the sick lies, despite the judge noting her “constant pestering” and “badgering,” even though there was “unequivocal scientific evidence” she could not be their daughter, who would now be 22.
Karen Spragg, a 61-year-old UK woman who supported her vile claims, was also cleared of stalking.
“Despite the jury’s guilty verdict of harassment, we take no pleasure in the result,” the McCanns said after the sentencing at Leicester Crown Court.
“We hope Ms Wandelt will receive the appropriate care and support she needs and any vulnerability will not be exploited by others,” they said, saying they “only wanted the harassment to stop.”
“If anyone has new evidence relating to Madeleine’s disappearance, please pass this on to the police.”
Wandelt was banned indefinitely from contacting the McCanns, and served a deportation notice.
During the sentencing hearing, the judge said she understood Wandelt had a rough upbringing, but noted her family history did “not justify the way you behaved.”
Wandelt testified that she never meant to cause any harm to the McCanns and and felt “sympathy for them.” She insisted she felt she could be the missing girl “because they look for their child and I look for my parents.”
Prosecutors said Wandelt previously claimed to be two other missing children.
Madeleine’s parents continue to campaign to find their daughter, who would now be 22, and issue a statement each year on the anniversary of the day she went missing.
The main suspect in her disappearance was released from a German prison in September after serving a seven-year sentence for an unrelated sex crime.
With Post Wires
