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Maddie McCann brother and sister, Sean and Amelie, have testified in court that their interactions with an accused stalker were deeply disturbing and unsettling. They described feeling anxious and frightened by a woman who claimed she was their missing sister.

Relentless Contact Detailed as Scary

Appearing remotely, Amelie described how the accused, Julia Wandelt, contacted her multiple times through social media and letters. She said the relentlessness was very frightening because you don’t know what she’ll do next.

Communications from Wandelt were presented in the trial, in which she recounted memories of being in the family home that she claimed were recalled during hypnotherapy. She told the court, It's very upsetting that she's inventing these supposed memories, despite the fact she’s not Maddie.

Fabricated Pictures Increased Unease

Jurors heard that Wandelt had produced images of herself and Amelie as children, which the state alleged were made with AI tools. A number of these images were sent through social media, while others were printed and enclosed in a mail to Amelie.

She said, It was unpleasant, it made me feel very uneasy. It was evident she edited the pictures to make me appear similar to her, which was quite distressing. I knew I didn't resemble that, I knew it had been manipulated.

Psychological Impact on the Household

She also discussed the impact of the supposed harassment on her parent, Kate, who gave evidence about being approached at her residence by the defendant and her co-defendant, a 61-year-old woman.

I think my mother experienced it as the hardest. She was targeted by the defendant to a greater extent than the rest of us and I believe it certainly took its toll on her and her mental health, she testified. It’s upsetting when someone’s pleading with you to believe them and playing with your feelings, to the extent you are doubting your own judgment.

Brother's Statement on Anxiety and Digital Scrutiny

In a testimony read to the court, her brother stated that for him, he had not been severely impacted by Wandelt's alleged harassment. However he had been upset that she was attracting online attention, with people posting nasty and unfair comments about his mother and father.

If she was not suffering from a psychological condition and was completely conscious she is not Madeleine, yet makes these claims, that would be very distressing for me, he testified. 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 find it deeply troubling.

Wandelt and her co-defendant deny stalking the family family. Proceedings continue.