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Maddie McCann twin siblings, Sean and Amelie, have told the court that their interactions with an alleged stalker were extremely upsetting and unsettling. The siblings described feeling stressed and frightened by a woman who claimed she was their long-lost sister.

Relentless Communication Detailed as Scary

Testifying via video link, Amelie described how the accused, Julia Wandelt, contacted her multiple times through online platforms and letters. She said the persistence was quite scary because it's impossible to predict what her next move might be.

Messages from Wandelt were presented in the trial, in which she recounted memories of living in the McCann household that she said were recovered under hypnosis. Amelie told the court, It’s quite disturbing that she's inventing these supposed memories, despite the fact she isn't Maddie.

Altered Images Heightened Distress

The court learned that the accused had created images of Amelie and herself as young girls, which the prosecution said were generated with ChatGPT. Some of these photos were transmitted through online channels, while others were produced physically and enclosed in a mail to her.

She stated, I didn’t like it, it caused me to feel very uncomfortable. She had clearly edited the images to make me appear similar to her, which was quite disturbing. I knew I didn't resemble that, I knew it had been changed.

Psychological Impact on the Household

She also spoke about the impact of the supposed harassment on her mother, Kate, who testified about being confronted at her residence by the defendant and her alleged accomplice, Karen Spragg.

In my opinion my mother experienced it as the most difficult. She was harassed by the defendant more than the rest of us and I believe it definitely took its toll on her and her wellbeing, Amelie 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.

Sibling's Statement on Anxiety and Digital Attention

In a witness statement read to the trial, her brother stated that for him, he had not been severely impacted by the defendant's alleged stalking. However he had been upset that she was attracting online attention, with people posting nasty and unfair things about his mother and father.

If she was not mentally ill and was completely conscious she is not Madeleine, yet continues to assert she is, that will be very upsetting for me, he testified. I am convinced she is my sibling. The reality that Julia is engaging in this behavior has caused me a significant amount of stress and I find it deeply troubling.

The defendant and Spragg deny stalking the family family. Proceedings are ongoing.