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Madeleine McCann twin siblings, Amelie and Sean, have told the court that their encounters with an accused harasser were extremely upsetting and unsettling. They explained feeling anxious and frightened by a woman who claimed she was their long-lost sister.

Persistent Communication Described as Scary

Testifying remotely, Amelie stated how the defendant, the 24-year-old, contacted her repeatedly through social media and written correspondence. She said the relentlessness was quite frightening since you don’t know what her next move might be.

Messages from the defendant were read in court, in which she recounted recollections of living in the McCann household that she said were recovered during hypnotherapy. She testified, It’s quite disturbing that she’s coming up with these supposed recollections, despite the fact she’s not Madeleine.

Altered Images Heightened Unease

Jurors heard that Wandelt had created pictures of herself and Amelie as children, which the prosecution alleged were generated with ChatGPT. Some of these images were transmitted through online channels, while additional ones were produced physically and enclosed in a letter to Amelie.

Amelie said, It was unpleasant, it caused me to feel very uneasy. It was evident she edited the images to make me look more like her, which was very distressing. I knew I didn't resemble that, I knew it had been changed.

Emotional Impact on the Family

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

In my opinion my mother found it the most difficult. She was harassed by the defendant to a greater extent than the rest of us and I believe it definitely took its toll on her and her mental health, Amelie testified. It’s upsetting when a person is begging you to believe them and manipulating your feelings, to the point you are doubting your own judgment.

Brother's Statement on Stress and Digital Scrutiny

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

If she was not suffering from a psychological condition 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 sister. The fact that the defendant is engaging in this behavior has resulted in a significant amount of anxiety and I find it profoundly troubling.

The defendant and Spragg have pleaded not guilty to harassing the McCann household. The trial are ongoing.