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

Persistent Communication Described as Frightening

Appearing remotely, she stated how the defendant, the 24-year-old, contacted her multiple times through online platforms and written correspondence. Amelie explained the persistence was quite frightening because you don’t know what she’ll do next.

Communications from the defendant were presented in the trial, in which she described memories of living in the family home that she claimed were recalled during hypnotherapy. Amelie told the court, It's very upsetting that she’s coming up with these supposed memories, despite the fact she’s not Maddie.

Altered Pictures Increased Unease

The court heard that Wandelt had produced images of Amelie and herself as young girls, which the state said were made with AI tools. A number of these photos were sent through social media, while additional ones were printed and included in a letter to her.

Amelie said, I didn’t like it, it made me feel very uncomfortable. She had clearly altered the images to make me look more like her, which was quite disturbing. I was aware I didn’t look like that, I understood it had been manipulated.

Psychological Impact on the Household

She also discussed the impact of the supposed stalking on her parent, Kate, who gave evidence about being confronted at her residence by Wandelt and her co-defendant, a 61-year-old woman.

I think my mum found it the hardest. She was targeted by the defendant to a greater extent than the others in the family and I believe it certainly took its toll on her and her mental health, she said. It’s upsetting when a person is pleading with you to believe them and manipulating your emotions, to the point you are questioning yourself.

Brother's Statement on Anxiety and Online Scrutiny

In a witness statement presented to the trial, her brother said that personally, he had not been severely impacted by the defendant's alleged harassment. However he had been distressed that she was drawing social media scrutiny, with people saying hurtful and unjust comments about his mother and father.

If she was not suffering from a psychological condition and was completely conscious she is not Madeleine, yet continues to assert she is, that would be very upsetting for me, he testified. I am convinced she is my sibling. The reality that Julia is doing this has caused me a great deal of anxiety and I consider it deeply troubling.

Wandelt and Spragg deny stalking the family household. The trial continue.