Women accused of stalking McCann family appear in court
Two women have appeared in court charged with stalking the family of Madeline McCann.
Julia Wandel, from Lubin in south-west Poland, was refused bail by a judge at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after appearing via video-link.
Meanwhile, Karen Spragg, of Caerau in Cardiff, appeared at the city's magistrates' court and was granted bail to appear alongside co-defendant Wandel at the crown court for a plea hearing on April 22.
Judge Timothy Spencer KC ordered that no details of the 15-minute bail application made by Wandel can be reported.
Wandel, 23, who has in the past claimed to be Madeleine McCann and is also known as Julia Wandelt, was arrested at Bristol Airport last month.
She is accused of stalking Kate, Gerry, Sean and Amelie McCann between January 3 2024 and February 15 2025.
She is alleged to have attended the family home in Leicestershire on May 2 and December 7 last year.
She is also accused of sending a letter, calls, voicemails and WhatsApp messages to Kate and Gerry McCann, and sending Amelie and Sean McCann Instagram messages between January 3 and December 29 last year.
Spragg was charged on Thursday with one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress between May 3 2024 and February 21 this year.
The indictment alleges that 60-year-old Spragg made calls, sent letters and attended the home address of Mr and Mrs McCann.
Appearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court, Spragg, wearing a beige tracksuit and carrying a red bag, spoke to confirm her name and address during the 10-minute hearing and did not indicate any plea.
Chair of the bench Elizabeth Needham released Spragg on bail with conditions not to contact Mr and Mrs McCann, their children and two family friends, not to enter Leicestershire unless attending court and to live and sleep at her home address.
Mrs Needham told Spragg: 'Your case is going to the crown court and the date for that is April 22. You have heard the bail conditions.'
Madeleine McCann's disappearance at the age of three from Praia da Luz in Portugal's Algarve when her family was on holiday in 2007 remains unsolved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Jay Slater 'armed himself with two knives for protection' hours before vanishing
Jay Slater stuffed two knives into his pants for 'protection' on the night he vanished, according to bombshell claims in a new podcast. The 19-year-old's disappearance on Tenerife a year ago captivated millions on social media, with TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X flooded with a mix of conspiracy theories about drug cartels and claims about Jay's past. Now celebrity investigator Mark Williams-Thomas is releasing a two-part podcast featuring new accounts of that fateful night from some of the last people to see and hear from the teenager. They include first-hand accounts from Ayub Qassim, the convicted drug dealer who Jay accompanied back to an AirBnB, and the teen's best friend Lucy Law. Speaking to Williams-Thomas for the podcast, titled Jay Slater: The Investigation , Qassim reveals his final conversation with Jay, saying: 'He (Jay) said to me pal I'm off, this woman told me I can get a bus every 10 minutes, I told him that he's mad, there's no bus that's coming here every 10 minutes, chill out for a bit and I'll drop you off later on. 'He said, 'No, no I've got to go to Los Cristianos, I need to scram, I need to chip out'. There's nothing more that I could do. I saw him walk off maybe down the steps. I maybe shut the door and said if you need me…' He also describes picking up Lucy and two of Jay's other pals to go and look for him. Listeners hear Qassim telling the former detective: 'They were just doing my head in, one said, 'That's the two bottles of Henny [Hennessy cognac], they were just doing my head in. 'In the end I just turned to Brandon and said, 'Look Brandon, one of your mates, yesterday walked way because he's f**** off with the ket [ketamine] and he want missing. Tell this f****** idiot to get back in the car'.' Williams-Thomas says the last comment 'is really significant new information'. He adds: 'So, Qassim says in the recording that Jay left the rental on the morning and took with him Qassim's ketamine. 'If you wonder why we've not heard this before, his police statement of course made no mention of this. My intelligence, however, is that the rental location was specifically chosen so as not to being attention to nay illegal activity.' Elsewhere, Lucy claims police in Tenerife 'weren't taking me seriously' when she first reported him missing. She also reveals how Jay told her he was 'going on a mission' the night before he vanished – and before sending a photo to a friend of himself carrying knives. 'On the night before, when I was still awake, before we went home, he messaged me saying 'I'm going on a mission', then I've gone home, tried to find him…,' she tells Williams-Thomas. 'Woke up to the call from Brandon in the morning, 'oh my God he's in the mountains, trying to walk…. He's said 'can't go back there, can't go back there' (to the Airbnb).' Of the clip Jay sent of himself arming up with the knives, she says: 'Took the kitchen knives from the Airbnb and put them down his pants, lifted his top up and shown it to him 'Just in case anything kicks off'. I'm like…' She adds: 'It could have just been a coincidence but with him also saying about going on a mission…' Qassim describes how the case turned him into 'public enemy number one'. He says: 'Lucy (Law) has my Snapchat, so has Brad (Hargreaves) we have each other on social media. I can chat to the mum, I don't need any of this. I've got journalists turning up at my house. 'I genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, let a guy come to my house, because he said to me 'mate they've all left' and chatting to them, they said he wanted to carry on partying. More Trending 'I'm black, it's an unfortunate situation. I'm being nice in letting someone stay at mine and now I'm public enemy number one.' The inquest into Jay's death was halted last month when his tearful mum Debbie Duncan begged for some of those who saw him last – including Lucy and Qassim – to be called as witnesses. 'How can we ever get any understanding?' she said. 'There's things we want to question. We want these people to be sat in front of us, because our son went on holiday and didn't come back.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Nursery worker accused of hurting babies 'got fed up if she couldn't vape' MORE: Homes evacuated and man arrested in Llanelli after 'bomb found near Post Office' MORE: Woman arrested on suspicion of murder after boy, 4, found dead inside Maidenhead home
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Footy great posts hilarious video showing how he turned the tables on a scammer who tried to fleece him for $1000
A former footy great has revealed how he has turned the tables an online scammer. Parramatta great Eric Grothe Jnr shared a hilarious interaction he had with an online fraudster on his Instagram, revealing how he had been approached by the scammer, who tried to dupe him for a large sum of cash. Grothe posted three videos on his Instagram showcasing the interaction with the scammer who had asked him to send him money as well as buy him gift cards from Amazon. Gift card scams have become a prevalent way for con artists to obtain money from individuals as they are often hard to trace and give victims little protection to recover their funds. The interaction between Grothe and the scammer began with the individual asking the former rugby league star to send him $200 US before he began toying with the scammer. The fraudster had appeared to drop into the 45-year-old's direct messages on Instagram, with Grothe replying: 'What do you need the money for?' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eric Grothe Jr (@ericgrothejr) 'Medicine,' the individual replied. Appearing cautious at the start, Grothe responded: 'If you really need the money and you're legitimate I'm sure you'd understand that there are so many scams out there that I can't give money without proof. 'Can you please send me a photo of yourself holding a piece of paper with my name on it? If so, I can help you out.' The scammer appeared to have created a false identity by taking pictures of another individual and falsely using them for their display picture. The scammer later replied by sending back a heavily photoshopped image of a woman, holding a piece of paper. The person appeared to have scribbled the name 'Eric Grothe' in poor handwriting that looked like it had been written digitally on a program like Photoshop. 'I will be so happy if you really help me out Eric,' the fraudster added. Grothe replied: 'OK and last one and I will give you the money straight away. With that exact same piece of paper, also hold up four fingers and make sure your face is showing as well. 'Once this is done I will forward the money to you immediately. Thank you.' Grothe enjoyed a distinguished career in rugby league's top flight, making 142 appearances cumulatively for the Eels and the Roosters, while also being capped for the Kangaroos once. The trickster then questioned how they might complete his request before attempting to give the former Eels star a guilt trip. 'I'm feeling really weak I just tried my best to do that so if you're really gonna help me just do it now,' they wrote adding two 'crying face emojis'. The conversation continued, with the fraudster asking Grothe where he lived and whether he used PayPal. According to ScamWatch, the Australian government has reported 72,230 scams in the past six months with losses from fishing, romance and investment frauds costing Australians approximately $118,993,148.20. 'Scams work because they look like the real thing and scammers contact you when you're not expecting it or are busy trying to do many things at once,' ScamWatch wrote. It adds that scammers attempt to 'create believable stories that convince you to give them your money, financial or personal details.' 'Scammers try to use your good nature against you. They tell heartbreaking or tragic stories to convince you to help them and give them money. 'Always be wary of any appeal for money and never give more money than you are willing to lose if you can't independently confirm that the story is true.' Grothe then began to joke with the fraudster, writing: 'A rich grandparent passed away and left my brother and I almost $4.5million each. I really want to share it with trustworthy people.' The scammer pressed him again: 'If you're really going to help me, just do it dear am not feeling so good.' Grothe questioned whether the individual was sick, to which they replied: 'Yes I am having hot temperatures and headaches. So I wanna visit a hospital but am so broke now to do anything cause my work has not been good lately.' Grothe responded: 'OK that's not a good sign. I'm going to have to help you. Tell me, does it also feel like somebody slammed your body down and wound it all around?' 'Yes, my bones feel so weak now,' the scammer said, before asking again whether to send their PayPal details. Grothe hilariously then joked that he was starting to fall 'completely in love' with the scammer. 'Aahh man I can't believe I'm saying this. Do you feel what I feel? You do. I know it,' he wrote, before adding that he was going to send the scammer 'so much money today' before asking how. 'OK darling you might be the right man for me so am not gonna say no,' the scammer replied. But Grothe pushed the joke further: 'My whole family are helping me write this because I'm so emotional.' He hilariously told the fraudster he loved them before adding: 'Whatever is mine is yours.' The fraudster again asked him if he could send the money over so that they could visit the hospital. Grothe, instead, deflected the question again confessing his love for the fraudster adding that he was going to send them half of his inheritance. 'I know we are supposed to be together,' he joked. 'I know I'm coming on a little strong but when you know, you understand and when you understand you finally come to get it and then you work it out and once you've worked it out, it's there for all to see!' The scammer simply replied: 'OK' before again asking him to send them the money on multiple occasions, adding that they would accept $2,000 instead of $2m. The conversation continued as Grothe continued to play the scammer at their own game, joking: 'I'm so lucky to be your man.' Appearing more frustrated as the back and forth continued, the scammer wrote: 'My man must care about my health, it seems you just lie to me about helping me with some money.' Grothe kept up the running joke, replying: 'Baby! We can work it out!' 'Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend. I have always thought that it was a crime. So I will ask you once again. 'Won't you try to see it my way? Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go on? 'If you need this money, help me send it to you right now. I'm sick of all this back and forth. I'm an action-taker. If I see action I will take it. A taker of action, if you will.' The exchange continued on in the same fashion, with Grothe seeing through the fraudster's scheme, as they repeatedly asked him if he used PayPal. 'Don't call me Pal,' Grothe hilariously quipped back. In a later video, the former NRL star revealed that the scammer had then asked him to buy them multiple Steam vouchers on Amazon, totalling around $1,000. The conversation even went as far as seeing the scammer explain to the former Eels star how to redeem the vouchers, with Grothe hilariously playing dumb, purposefully wasting the scammer's time. He even went as far as sending them back a video of the fuel dial on his car, when the scammer asked him to click on a link to buy the vouchers. The scammer continued to press him, but Grothe continued to mislead the individual by hilariously joking that his ex had come back. The scammer appeared furious replying: 'You don't seem to have respect for me.' They added: 'You sound so annoying, you talk about your ex every minute I don't want to share my man if you're for me you should be only for me and no one else.' The long exchange culminated in a rather humerous ending with Grothe saying: 'I think I'm done.' The scammer replied: 'OK'. ScamWatch urges caution to individuals before giving money or personal information to those they don't know or are unsure of. They urge members of the public to 'stop' and 'check'. 'Ask yourself: "Could the message or call be fake?"' They urge members of the public to 'act quickly and contact a bank if a scammer gets your money and report scams to ScamWatch.'
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Former police chief makes plea over youth violence and knife crime
The former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency says a Scottish Government summit on youth violence can stop teenagers becoming involved in organised crime A FORMER police chief has called for a new crackdown on knives to prevent youngsters becoming the organised crime kingpins of tomorrow. First Minister John Swinney will today host a summit to look at ways of tackling the epidemic of youth violence. The move follows the deaths of 16-year-old Kayden Moy on Irvine beach, Ayrshire, last month and Amen Teklay, 15, in Glasgow in March. In an exclusive interview with Criminal Record - our new weekly podcast - Graeme Pearson, former Director General of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), said young people using knives are easy prey for gangsters. He recognises keeping young men on the right side of the law can be difficult when they see the money being earned from the "wealth pie" of organised crime. In the last three months an organised crime explosion across Scotland has seen a series of firebombings and attacks on Daniel family members and their associates. Some of the 42 people arrested are in their late teens and early 20s. Graeme Pearson added: "You are talking hundreds of millions of pounds from the drugs trade. There will always be someone willing to accept money to commit these attacks. "The lifestyle that comes with the wealth is something they would not have experienced in their previous life. "Suddenly young people who come from working class-type backgrounds are getting access to high-value cars and houses and world travel." Pearson said it's important young people realise the downside is a seven day-a-week risk of being shot or police arrest. "Paranoia then sets in. Suddenly the lifestyle is not as glamorous." The ex-cop wants the youth violence summit to lead to more jobs and better educational opportunities for teenagers and more attractive options than a life of crime. He cotinued: "It's important we don't lecture young people about criminality - they know what's going on. "They need to know there is a job for them. If we are talking about youth clubs then we need to invest in them." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Pearson believes the latest increase in drugs deaths is a legacy of 20 years of failure and false promises.. The country has the highest drugs death rate in Europe and new Scottish Government figures show drug deaths in Scotland rose by a third to 308 in the first three months of this year. Pearson added: "We have had a growing demand for drugs which is generated by crime. "We have been told over the years that measures being taken would reduce the numbers of drugs deaths but that hasn't happened. "We still have needles in public places. "More than 25 per cent assets of our prisoners are on methadone. "We need new methods of intervention and treatment and at the same time invest in the enforcement that reduces the numbers of drugs coming into the country to be abused." Pearson, a former Labour MSP and justice spokesman, also wants tougher proceeds of crime laws to make it harder for gangs to hide their assets. The SCDEA was formed in 2001 to target organised crime. Pearson led it between 2004 and 2007 when a number of major criminals were brought to justice. It was disbanded in 2013 after the formation of Police Scotland. He said steps must be taken by politicians and police to protect children and our way of life from organised crime. The former police chief wants greater powers for the police and courts to both freeze and seize criminal assets. Pearson added: "We need new proceeds of crime legislation as a matter of urgency. I spent a lot of time in the early 2000s promoting the original legislation. I was told what I was recommending was draconian. "The last 20 years have shown what happens when one is relaxed about how you address the seizure of assets from organised crime. "We do not seize enough and draw the wealth that comes from it. That is the key to tackling organised crime - you reduce the profit then you seize the profit." He added: " Organised crime is a cancer. It's killing communities and holding back legitimate businesses through intimidation." "Pearson said tougher proceeds of crime laws means money recovered could be reinvested in the communities and estates where the profits were plundered. He believes one way of tackling organised crime between groups like the Lyons and Daniel clans s is more cops disrupting gang members' day-to-day activities. He said: "What the public need is more police officers on the beat. It might be traditional but it works." This week the Record delivers a three-part video series documenting 25 years of warfare between the Lyons and Daniel crime clans. Visit our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok to see the latest For the latest news, views and opinions on Scotland's crime scene, check out Criminal Record - a new weekly podcast brought to you by the Record team . Each week, crime writer Norman Silvester discusses the latest in the gangland turf war and all the other big crime news of the week. Tune in on the Record's YouTube channel or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
