The woman who sparked international headlines by claiming to be missing child Madeleine McCann has broken down in tears in court — after prosecutors presented what they called “unequivocal proof” that she is not the missing British girl.

The renewed court proceedings stem from a defamation complaint and cyberstalking allegations linked to Wendell’s continued contact with people connected to the McCanns. While prosecutors have not disclosed what penalties they are seeking, legal experts suggest she could face a suspended sentence or mandatory psychiatric treatment if found guilty.

Outside the courthouse, reaction was divided. Some members of the public expressed sympathy for Wendell, arguing that she needs help rather than punishment. “She’s clearly lost and confused,” one local said. “If anything, she’s another victim of the internet and its obsession with mystery.” Others were far less forgiving. “She lied about one of the most tragic cases in modern history,” another observer told reporters. “That’s not confusion — that’s cruelty.”

Julia Wandelt, 22, appeared visibly emotional as the stalking trial began this week. The court heard detailed evidence alleging that she harassed and stalked Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, in a disturbing campaign that included emails, phone calls, and even turning up at their family home.

According to prosecutors, Wandelt “pursued the myth” that she was Madeleine, despite repeated requests from the McCann family and investigators to stop her claims. The prosecution said her actions caused “severe emotional distress” to the McCanns, who have spent nearly two decades searching for their daughter after she disappeared in 2007 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

“This is not a case of confusion — it’s a deliberate pursuit of a fantasy,” a prosecutor told the court. “The evidence, both scientific and circumstantial, is overwhelming and leaves no doubt that Ms. Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann.”

DNA testing, conducted shortly after Wandelt first made her public claim in 2023, confirmed that she had no genetic connection to the McCann family. However, despite the results, she continued to insist on her identity and posted a series of social media videos repeating her belief.

The court heard how the young woman’s obsession escalated, with dozens of emails sent directly to the McCanns, late-night phone calls, and even one incident where she reportedly appeared near their home in England.

“This wasn’t harmless,” one legal representative for the McCanns said. “It reopened deep wounds for a family that has already suffered unimaginable pain.”

During the hearing, Wandelt sobbed as the judge read out the prosecution’s evidence. Her defense team claimed she suffers from mental health struggles and “never intended to cause harm.”

The McCann family did not attend the proceedings but issued a statement through their lawyer expressing relief that the case was being taken seriously.

The ongoing legal saga surrounding Julia Wendell, the young Polish woman who claimed to be missing British child Madeleine McCann, reached a dramatic turning point this week as prosecutors presented what they called “unequivocal proof” that she is not the long-missing girl. The revelation came during an emotional court hearing in Warsaw, where Wendell — dubbed the “fake Maddie McCann” by international media — reportedly broke down in tears as the evidence was read aloud.

Wendell, now in her early twenties, made global headlines in early 2023 when she appeared on social media insisting she might be Madeleine, the child who vanished from a Portuguese resort in 2007 at age three. She cited physical similarities, a distinctive eye mark, and what she described as “missing memories” from her childhood as evidence that she could be the missing girl. Her claim spread rapidly online, sparking both international intrigue and outrage — and leading to an intense investigation that quickly dismantled her story.

In court this week, Polish prosecutors revealed DNA test results, family documentation, and medical records that they say completely disprove Wendell’s claim. “There is no doubt — genetically, legally, or factually — that Ms. Wendell is not Madeleine McCann,” one prosecutor told the court. “She is a Polish national, born to Polish parents, with a verifiable birth certificate and childhood history.”

As the findings were detailed, reporters inside the courtroom described Wendell as visibly shaken. Witnesses said she wiped away tears and covered her face as the judge reviewed the evidence, which included photographs of her from infancy, hospital records from her birth, and testimony from her biological family. One courtroom observer noted, “It was heartbreaking — not because anyone believed she was Maddie anymore, but because it was clear this young woman has become trapped in the very story she created.”

The court also heard disturbing allegations that Wendell had gone beyond simply making a false claim — prosecutors say she harassed and stalked the McCann family after they rejected her assertions. According to testimony, Wendell sent multiple messages to members of the McCann family and their representatives, allegedly threatening to “expose secrets” unless they agreed to meet her. “She repeatedly attempted to make contact, even after being told to cease communication,” one prosecutor stated. “Her behavior became obsessive and invasive.”

Lawyers representing the McCann family said in court that the experience had been deeply distressing for them. “They have lived with unimaginable pain for over 17 years,” one attorney said. “For someone to exploit that grief for attention — and to do so publicly, with no factual basis — was cruel and damaging.”

Wendell’s defense team argued that she had not intended harm but was suffering from mental and emotional distress at the time of her online claims. Her lawyer told the court, “Julia is not a criminal mastermind. She is a deeply troubled young woman who sincerely believed she might be Madeleine and sought answers in the only way she knew how.” He added that she had since received threats and abuse online, leaving her “isolated, frightened, and remorseful.”

Still, the court appeared unconvinced by her defense. Prosecutors insisted that Wendell’s conduct went far beyond confusion or desperation — calling it a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and capitalize on global interest in one of the most famous missing persons cases in modern history. “Her social media accounts gained hundreds of thousands of followers overnight,” the prosecution noted. “She made media appearances, requested donations, and courted attention despite mounting evidence that her story was false.”

At the height of the controversy, Wendell’s claim attracted even more attention when she appeared on television with a private investigator and a self-described medium who supported her suspicions. However, when official DNA results came back confirming that she was not Madeleine — and not even British — the case collapsed spectacularly. The McCann family, who had initially maintained a dignified silence, later released a brief statement through their spokesperson emphasizing the importance of verified evidence and compassion, while condemning the “cruelty” of speculation.

In recent years, the Madeleine McCann case has continued to generate headlines, with investigators pursuing new leads in Germany, where a convicted sex offender has been identified as a prime suspect. Yet despite the ongoing investigation, no conclusive breakthrough has been made. The McCann family, now private and largely withdrawn from the public eye, continue to maintain hope that Madeleine is alive.

As for Julia Wendell, her future remains uncertain. Friends say she has become reclusive since the backlash, spending little time online and avoiding public appearances. Her attorney told the press that she hopes to “seek therapy and move forward with her life” once the court proceedings conclude.

The hearing is expected to resume next month, when the judge will deliver a final ruling on whether Wendell will face legal consequences for her actions. But for many who followed the story from the beginning, the conclusion feels already written — a tragic reminder of how a desperate search for identity can spiral into global spectacle.

As one British journalist put it outside the courtroom, “This was never really about Madeleine McCann — it was about the dangers of fame, grief, and the internet’s appetite for drama. But in the end, there’s one thing everyone can agree on: the real Madeleine deserves truth, not imitation.”