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Madeleine McCann twin siblings, Sean and Amelie, have told the court that their interactions with an accused harasser were deeply upsetting and unsettling. The siblings described feeling stressed and frightened by a woman who claimed she was their missing sister.

Relentless Communication Described as Scary

Appearing via video link, she stated how the defendant, Julia Wandelt, reached out to her repeatedly through online platforms and letters. She said the persistence was very scary since you don’t know what she’ll do next.

Messages from the defendant were read in the trial, in which she recounted recollections of being in the family home that she claimed were recovered during hypnotherapy. She testified, It's very upsetting that she's inventing these alleged memories, even though she’s not Madeleine.

Altered Pictures Heightened Unease

The court learned that the accused had created pictures of herself and Amelie as children, which the state alleged were made with ChatGPT. A number of these images were transmitted through online channels, while additional ones were printed and enclosed in a mail to Amelie.

She said, I didn’t like it, it caused me to feel very uneasy. It was evident she altered the images to make me appear similar to her, which was quite distressing. I knew I didn't resemble that, I understood it had been manipulated.

Emotional Impact on the Family

Amelie also discussed the impact of the alleged stalking on her mother, Kate, who gave evidence about being confronted at home by the defendant and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg.

In my opinion my mother experienced it as the most difficult. She was harassed by Julia more than the rest of us and I think it definitely had a negative effect on her and her wellbeing, she said. It's distressing when a person is begging you to believe them and playing with your feelings, to the point you are questioning yourself.

Sibling's Statement on Anxiety and Digital Scrutiny

In a witness statement presented to the trial, Sean McCann said that for him, he had not been too badly affected by Wandelt's alleged harassment. However he had been upset that she was attracting social media scrutiny, with people saying nasty and unfair comments about his parents.

In the event that she was not suffering from a psychological condition and was fully aware she is not Madeleine, yet makes these claims, that would be very upsetting for me, he said. I am convinced she is my sister. The fact that the defendant is doing this has resulted in a significant amount of stress and I find it deeply disturbing.

The defendant and Spragg deny stalking the McCann household. The trial are ongoing.