The trial involving two women accused of harassing Madeleine McCann’s family has recommenced, focusing on the collection of DNA samples during the search for the missing three-year-old.

At Leicester Crown Court, testimony was provided by Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, as well as her younger siblings and various family friends, the local vicar, and investigators leading the missing person case. The court learned about the distress caused to the family by the alleged actions of Julia Wandelt and Karen Spragg.

Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old Polish national, is charged with reaching out to the family, claiming to be Madeleine, and along with Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, showing up at the family residence. The trial is ongoing.

According to court documents, Wandelt, hailing from Lubin in southwest Poland, contacted the Find Madeleine website via email, asserting her identity as Madeleine. The communication was eventually relayed to Operation Grange, the Metropolitan Police’s ongoing investigation into the disappearance of the girl.

An investigator informed the court that Wandelt had been excluded as a potential match. Stacy Gorman, an American aiding the campaign to locate Madeleine McCann, testified that Wandelt persistently sent numerous emails to the campaign, causing concern due to her sizable social media following and the aggressive nature of other individuals contacting the campaign.

Gorman expressed worries that if Wandelt’s claims gained traction, it could impede efforts to find Madeleine as people might stop searching. Forensic analysis indicated that Wandelt’s DNA did not match Madeleine’s, with a forensic scientist confirming the lack of a biological relationship between Wandelt and the McCann family.

The court was informed that Wandelt had asserted a nearly 70% DNA match with a sample from where Madeleine disappeared. With the conclusion of Gorman’s testimony, the hearing was adjourned for the day.

In a message to Kate and Gerry last year, Wandelt purportedly claimed a relation to them, seeking assistance to prove her identity. The court also heard about Stacey Gorman’s interactions with Wandelt and the multiple emails sent by Wandelt to the Find Madeleine website.

Forensic scientist Rosalind Hammond clarified the lack of DNA match between Wandelt and Madeleine, as well as confirming Wandelt’s non-biological relation to Kate and Gerry McCann. Detailed technical information regarding DNA profiles was presented to the jurors.

The court learned that DNA samples from Madeleine were obtained from various sources, including a pillowcase in her bedroom and a neo-natal blood test shortly after her birth. Wandelt’s DNA was collected via a mouth swab following her arrest.

Julia Wandelt, 24, of Poland, faces charges of stalking Kate and Gerry McCann and allegedly visited the family home. Karen Spragg, 61, from Cardiff, is also accused of stalking. The incidents are said to have occurred between June 2022 and February 2025.