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Maddie McCann twin siblings, Amelie and Sean, have told the court that their interactions with an alleged stalker were extremely disturbing and unsettling. They described feeling stressed and scared by a woman who insisted she was their missing sister.

Relentless Communication Detailed as Frightening

Testifying via video link, Amelie stated how the accused, Julia Wandelt, reached out to her multiple times through online platforms and written correspondence. Amelie explained the persistence was very frightening since it's impossible to predict what she’ll do next.

Communications from the defendant were presented in court, in which she described memories of living in the McCann household that she said were recalled during hypnotherapy. Amelie told the court, It’s quite upsetting that she's inventing these supposed recollections, despite the fact she isn't Madeleine.

Altered Images Heightened Distress

The court heard that Wandelt had produced pictures of herself and Amelie as children, which the state said were made with AI tools. A number of these photos were transmitted through online channels, while additional ones were produced physically and included in a mail to Amelie.

She said, It was unpleasant, it made me feel very uncomfortable. She had clearly edited the pictures to make me appear similar to her, which was quite disturbing. I knew I didn’t look like that, I knew it had been changed.

Emotional Toll on the Family

Amelie also discussed the effect of the alleged stalking on her parent, their mother, who testified about being approached at home by the defendant and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg.

In my opinion my mum experienced it as the hardest. She was targeted by Julia more than the rest of us and I think it certainly had a negative effect on her and her wellbeing, she said. It's distressing when someone’s pleading with you to believe them and manipulating your feelings, to the point you are doubting your own judgment.

Sibling's Testimony on Anxiety and Digital Attention

In a testimony presented to the court, Sean McCann said that personally, he had not been too badly affected by Wandelt's accused harassment. But he had been upset that she was drawing online attention, with people saying nasty and unfair things about his parents.

In the event that Wandelt was not suffering from a psychological condition and was fully aware she is not Maddie, yet continues to assert she is, that will be very upsetting for me, he said. I am convinced she is my sister. The reality that the defendant is engaging in this behavior has resulted in a great deal of stress and I consider it deeply troubling.

Wandelt and Spragg have pleaded not guilty to harassing the family household. The trial continue.