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Maddie McCann's brother and sister, Sean and Amelie, have told the court that their interactions with an accused stalker were extremely disturbing and unsettling. They explained feeling stressed and scared by a woman who insisted she was their long-lost sister.

Persistent Contact Detailed as Scary

Appearing remotely, she stated how the defendant, Julia Wandelt, contacted her repeatedly through social media and letters. She said the relentlessness was very frightening since it's impossible to predict what her next move might be.

Messages from the defendant were presented in the trial, in which she recounted recollections of being in the family home that she claimed were recovered under hypnosis. Amelie told the court, It’s quite upsetting that she’s coming up with these supposed memories, despite the fact she’s not Maddie.

Altered Images Increased Unease

Jurors heard that Wandelt had created pictures of Amelie and herself as children, which the state alleged were made with AI tools. A number of these images were transmitted through online channels, while additional ones were produced physically and included in a letter to her.

She stated, I didn’t like it, it caused me to feel very uneasy. She had clearly edited the images to make me look more like her, which was quite disturbing. I was aware I didn't resemble that, I understood it had been manipulated.

Psychological Impact on the Household

Amelie also spoke about the effect of the supposed stalking on her parent, their mother, who testified about being confronted at home by Wandelt and her alleged accomplice, Karen Spragg.

In my opinion my mother found it the most difficult. She was harassed by Julia to a greater extent than the rest of us and I believe it certainly had a negative effect on her and her mental health, Amelie said. It's distressing when a person is begging you to believe them and manipulating your feelings, to the point you are questioning yourself.

Sibling's Testimony on Anxiety and Online Attention

In a testimony read to the court, Sean McCann stated that for him, he had not been too badly affected by the defendant's alleged stalking. However he had been distressed that she was drawing online attention, with people posting nasty and unfair comments about his parents.

If Wandelt was not mentally ill and was completely conscious she is not Madeleine, yet continues to assert she is, that will be very distressing for me, he said. I do not believe she is my sibling. The fact that the defendant is doing this has resulted in a significant amount of stress and I find it deeply disturbing.

The defendant and Spragg have pleaded not guilty to stalking the family household. Proceedings continue.