A Cardiff woman has been cleared of stalking the parents of missing Madeleine McCann, after a trial at Leicester Crown Court. Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau Court Road in Caerau, Cardiff, was accused alongside Polish national Julia Wandelt of causing significant distress to Kate and Gerry McCann between June 2022 and February this year.
The prosecution alleged that Spragg and Wandelt, 24, from Lubin in south-west Poland, engaged in a campaign of stalking that included sending emails, leaving voicemails, and visiting the McCann family home. Crown counsel Michael Duck KC described the actions as 'cruel and unforgiving', claiming the defendants 'tormented' the couple and sought to impose their will on them.
During the trial, the court heard that Wandelt falsely claimed to be Madeleine, who disappeared aged three in Portugal in 2007. Duck argued there was no evidence to support this assertion. Wandelt briefly left the dock after becoming upset during the prosecutor's closing speech.
However, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty for both defendants on the single count of stalking. Judge Mrs Justice Cutts had instructed jurors to set aside any sympathy for the McCanns or the defendants, emphasising that emotion should not influence their decision.
Spragg and Wandelt had both denied the charge throughout the proceedings. The case has drawn significant media attention due to the high-profile nature of the McCann disappearance.
