Julia Wandelt, 23, from Poland, who previously claimed to be Madeleine McCann, was last night detained along with a 60-year-old woman from Wales at Bristol Airport
The Polish woman who claimed to be Madeleine McCann has been arrested at a UK airport.
Julia Wandelt, 23, was detained last night along with a 60-year-old woman from Wales on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm and distress.
The case is being investigated by officers from Leicestershire Police who made the arrests at Bristol Airport with the force confirming both women were being held in custody. Surjit Singh Clair, a PR representative of Ms Wandelt, also confirmed the arrest.
Mr Clair said the 23-year-old and her companion had travelled to the UK for a few weeks to stay with a friend. He said his client denies the stalking allegations.
Leicestershire Police said in a statement: “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.”
Ms Wandelt hit the headlines after she claimed to be the missing girl in February 2023. She made media appearances and even underwent a DNA test as part of her insistence. Her DNA test results confirmed that she is not the missing girl, instead showing that she is from Poland, with some Lithuanian and Romanian heritage.
Madeleine McCann disappeared from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Lagos, Portugal, on the evening of May 3, 2007, when she was just three years old. It is one of the most well reported missing persons cases in history.
