A Polish woman has been convicted of harassing the family of missing British girl Madeleine McCann for more than two years, but was cleared of a more serious charge of stalking them.

Julia Wandelt falsely claimed to be Madeleine, who disappeared in May 2007, nine days short of her fourth birthday, while on holiday with her family in Portugal's Algarve region.

Prosecutors told jurors at Leicester Crown Court that there was "unequivocal scientific evidence" Wandelt had no familial link to the McCanns, which prompted her to sob in the dock.

Wandelt, 24, was charged with stalking Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry, including through emails, messages and phone calls, from June 2022 until her arrest in February.

She and Karen Spragg, 61, who prosecutors said supported Wandelt's claims, were

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