A Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has been arrested moments after landing in the UK. Julia Wandelt, 23, was held at Bristol Airport on suspicion of stalking Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann, her representative confirmed. She flew in from Wroclaw, Poland and had been due to meet a friend when she was surrounded by officers in front of stunned jet passengers at around 8pm on Wednesday.
Her friend - who is thought to be in her 60s and from Cardiff - was also detained for allegedly aiding and abetting Wandelt. Both arrests were carried out by the Avon and Somerset force on behalf of Leicestershire Police where the McCanns live. Madeleine, from Rothley, was three when she went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia de Luz Portugal on May 3, 2007.
Wandelt’s representative Surjit Singh Clair told the Standard: “Her arrest came as a surprise. “I’ve sent lawyers to lawyers to Bristol Airport and it is all in hand. “She was arrested on suspicion of allegedly stalking the McCanns and her friend for aiding and abetting.”.
Leicestershire Police said: “Last night two women were arrested at Bristol Airport as part of an ongoing investigation. “A 23-year-old woman from Poland and a 60-year-old woman from Wales were arrested on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm/distress.
“They both remain in custody and enquiries are continuing.”. MailOnline, which first reported Wandelt’s arrest, said she became an internet sensation in February 2023 after claiming to be the missing youngster on Instagram, with the Instagram handle @IAmMadeleineMcCann.
Despite previously publishing DNA test results which concluded she is 100 per cent Polish and therefore cannot be missing Madeleine, this week shared “new” DNA results alleging she is related to Mr McCann. Wandelt claimed they were submitted to a “world expert” who compared them to forensics discovered at the crime scene.
She alleged experts also matched her eyes, teeth and voice with Madeleine. Earlier this week, Wandelt shared an audio clip on her Instagram account in which she claims to have tried to speak with Mr McCann on the phone. The man hung up on her a few seconds in to the call, saying she must have the wrong number.
Wandelt previously told the BBC how she was sexually abused as a young child and appeared on US talk show Dr Phil to discuss the far-fetched possibility she is Madeleine. Prosecutors are continuing investigations into convicted sex child offender Christian Brueckner over Madeleine’s disappearance and murder.
