Latest news with #Spragg
Daily Mirror
22-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
'Fake Madeleine McCann' and woman, 60, in court accused of 'stalking' tot's family
A Polish national and Welsh woman accused of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann have appeared before court today and denied the allegations against them. Julia Wandel, 23, and 60-year-old Karen Spragg, of Caerau in Cardiff, were charged in connection with an investigation into the alleged stalking of Madeleine McCann's family. Wandel, who appeared in the dock at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, 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. She has plead not guilty to the charges. Spragg is accused of one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress between May 3 2024 and February 21 this year. Spragg is alleged to have made calls, sent letters and attended the home address of Mr and Mrs McCann. Spragg has also denied a charge of stalking the family. Spragg was charged last month 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. Wandel was remanded back into custody while Spragg was granted conditional bail. Both will appear at the same court for trial on October 2. Madeleine McCann's disappearance at the age of three from Praia da Luz in Portugal's Algarve when her family was on holiday in May 2007 remains unsolved. The three-year-old tot went missing during a family holiday while her mum and dad were out for dinner at a nearby restaurant. The couple returned to the holiday let to find that their little girl had vanished. To this day, they don't know what happened to her. They have since campaigned to find Madeleine, who would now be 20, and the Metropolitan Police has spent more than £13million to date on her investigation, dubbed Operation Grange. The McCann family continue to grieve the loss of their young girl and mum Kate still makes sure to mark her birthdays and Christmas. In 2017, on the tenth anniversary of her abduction, Kate shared how she still buys presents for her missing daughter. "She shared: "I do all the present buying. I think about what age she is and buy something that, whenever we find her, will still be appropriate so there's a lot of thought goes into it." The heartbroken mother also described Madeleine's birthday as a "difficult time" because that's when she really feels her absence.
The Independent
29-03-2025
- The Independent
Women accused of stalking Madeleine McCann's 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. 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. 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.'
The Independent
28-03-2025
- The Independent
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.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- The Independent
McCann family stalking suspect denied bail by Crown Court judge
A 23-year-old Polish national accused of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann has been refused bail by a Crown Court judge. A lawyer acting for 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 reported, ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing listed to take place at the same court on April 22. Wandel, from Lubin in south-west Poland, did not attend the hearing in person, but is understood to have followed the proceedings via a prison video-link. Wandel 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. 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 February 21 this year. The indictment alleged Spragg made calls, sent letters and attended the home address of Mr and Mrs McCann. Appearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday, Spragg, wearing a beige tracksuit and blue Crocs and carrying a red bag, spoke to confirm her name and address during the 10-minute hearing and indicated she would not be entering a 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. She was ordered to appear alongside Wandel at Leicester Crown Court on April 22. Mrs Needham said: '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.' 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.
BBC News
27-03-2025
- BBC News
Madeleine McCann: Woman charged with stalking family
A woman has been charged as part of an investigation into the alleged stalking of Madeleine McCann's Spragg, of Caerau, Cardiff, has been charged with one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress between 3 May 2024 and 21 February this year, Leicestershire Police 60-year-old is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on the same day, Julia Wandel, 23, of Lubin, Poland, is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court after she was charged in February with four counts of stalking against the McCann family. Ms Wandel is accused of stalking Kate and Gerry McCann and Madeleine's siblings between 3 January 2024 and 15 February is alleged to have gone to the family home in Leicestershire on 2 May and 7 December is also accused of sending a letter to the family along with calls and messages on Instagram and McCann's disappearance at the age of three during a family holiday in Portugal in 2007 is one of the most widely reported missing child cases and remains unsolved.
