Crown Court Judge Denies Bail for Suspect accused of Stalking McCann Family
Polish national Julia Wandel, 23, will remain in prison custody until a further hearing next month.
A 23-year-old Polish national accused of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann has been denied bail by a Crown Court judge.
A lawyer representing Julia Wandel made an unsuccessful 15-minute bail application at Leicester Crown Court on her behalf on Friday.
Judge Timothy Spencer, KC ruled that no details from the bail application can be disclosed, pending a plea and trial preparation hearing scheduled for April 22 at the same court.
Wandel, from Lubin in southwest Poland, did not attend the hearing in person but is believed to have followed the proceedings via a prison video-link.
Wandel is charged with stalking Kate, Gerry, Sean, and Amelie McCann between Jan. 3, 2024, and Feb. 15, 2025.
She is accused of visiting the family home in Leicestershire on May 2 and Dec. 7 last year.
She is also alleged to have sent a letter, made calls, left voicemails, and sent WhatsApp messages to Kate and Gerry McCann, as well as sending Instagram messages to Amelie and Sean McCann between Jan. 3 and Dec. 29 last year.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old woman charged as part of the investigation appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning.
Karen Spragg, of Caerau in Cardiff, was charged on Thursday with one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress between May 3, 2024, and Feb. 21 this year.
The charge alleges that Spragg made calls, sent letters, and visited the home address of the McCanns.
During the hearing at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, Spragg, dressed in a beige tracksuit and blue Crocs and carrying a red bag, confirmed her name and address but indicated she would not enter a plea.
Chair of the bench Elizabeth Needham released Spragg on bail with certain conditions, including not to contact the McCanns, their children, and two family friends, not to enter Leicestershire unless attending court, and to reside at her home address.
She was instructed to appear alongside Wandel at Leicester Crown Court on April 22.
Needham warned her, saying, “Your case is going to the crown court and the date for that is April 22. You have heard the bail conditions, if you break any of those you are likely to be arrested. If you do not attend court that is likely to be a breach of your bail. In the meantime, keep in contact with your solicitor.”
The disappearance of Madeleine McCann at the age of three from Praia da Luz in Portugal’s Algarve during her family’s holiday in 2007 remains unsolved.
