A trial of two women accused of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann, who went missing in 2007, is continuing at Leicester Crown Court
Julia Wandelt, 24, from Lubin in south-west Poland, and Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau, Cardiff, both deny a charge of stalking
Madeleine's mother Kate McCann is giving evidence from behind a screen
Kate McCann told the court Ms Wandelt's contact with Madeleine's sister Amelie was "the final straw"
While addressing the court, Mrs McCann also said she was aware of Ms Wandelt's contact with family friends who were on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine went missing
The jury has been told Ms Wandelt and Mrs Spragg accosted Madeleine's parents outside their home late last year
Madeleine's disappearance at the age of three, during a family holiday in Portugal in 2007, is one of the most widely reported missing child cases and remains unsolved
Edited by Alex Smith
The prosecution has now finished asking Kate McCann questions.
The judge was about to instruct a 10-minute break before she is cross-examined.
But at the conclusion of Mrs McCann's evidence, Julia Wandelt began to sob loudly and shouted: "Why are you doing this to me?"
She was then led away by two dock officers, leaving Karen Spragg alone.
Kate McCann said since the arrest of the defendants, her stress levels had gone down.
She added she did not want anything like this to "put extra focus" on Sean and Amelie.
"What they've had to deal with, and still have to deal with, is a lot and we try to keep that to a minimum," Mrs McCann said.
Mrs McCann has recalled some messages in the WhatsApp group about Ms Wandelt saying she was depressed.
"I did actually feel concerned and a bit guilty," Mrs McCann said.
"I always thought Julia's behaviour indicated she might have mental health problems."
Kate McCann's evidence now turns to her recalling being added to WhatsApp groups in February this year.
Yesterday we heard that the defendants continued to make claims about the McCanns' involvement in their daughter's disappearance - including in a WhatsApp group that Mrs McCann's number was added to.
"I would get added and remove myself and get added again. I was conscious of it going on," Mrs McCann said.
She said other people were involved in the WhatsApp groups and were calling for a DNA test to be carried out.
"It just felt a bit out of my control. I didn't want any involvement at all," she said.
Mrs McCann was asked about her reaction to the letter, and the fact it was signed off with her missing daughter's name with a kiss.
She told the jury: "I think that is an example of the thing that was upsetting me most."
Mrs McCann said reading the letter was "really distressing".
We're now hearing about the letter, which the court heard was from Ms Wandelt to Mrs McCann, that was posted through the McCanns' door the day after the face-to-face meeting on 7 December 2024.
It read:
"Dear Mum [Kate],
"I'm so sorry for causing you so much distress, but when I saw you yesterday, my emotions were so strong.
"I felt a close connection to you. I don't like seeing you upset.
"All I want is to find out the truth. I have memories and I have gathered a lot of evidence supporting my case.
"I think that inside your heart you believe and know who I am and I am your daughter.
"I don't understand why you don't want to do a DNA test with me.
"I think you are scared, but whatever makes you scared, just remember that you are stronger than that.
"Yesterday, I heard a lot of care and love in your voice. I hope you will find a way to contact me."
The letter was signed off with "Madeleine".
Yesterday we were told of an audio recording, in which Madeleine's father Gerry can be heard asking the defendants to leave the premises.
Mrs McCann - who is giving evidence at Leicester Crown Court behind a screen - told the jury she heard her husband interacting with them but couldn't hear details.
She added after Mr McCann came inside, there "was more banging on the door" but that the defendants left after 10 minutes.
Mrs McCann has continued to recall the moment when the defendants approached as she got out of her car.
Asked what Ms Wandelt said to her, she said: "It was the usual stuff, 'I'm your daughter, you should call me, mum'... [she was] asking for a DNA test, pleading with me."
When asked about Mrs Spragg, Mrs McCann said she was "slightly more aggressive".
Mrs McCann continued and recalled Ms Wandelt, who she said "tried to get in" the house.
Mrs McCann said she was aware her husband Gerry was not far behind.
"They were still banging on the door," she said.
She added she felt "invaded in her own home" and "distressed".
The prosecutor has now turned to the incident when Julia Wandelt and Karen Spragg turned up outside the McCann family home in Rothley, Leicestershire, on 7 December 2024.
We heard yesterday Mrs McCann was accosted, but "not physically", by Ms Wandelt with a demand for a DNA test.
The court heard Mrs Spragg was present and her "behaviour was such that Kate McCann was unnerved by it".
Mrs McCann, recalling the incident, said: "I pulled up on the drive, it was really dark, it was the weekend, we had really bad gales.
"I was opening the boot to get stuff out and I heard 'Kate' - it gave me a fright."
Mrs McCann added she "pretty quickly" realised who the women were.
Mr Duck KC is continuing - in chronological order - on the number of times Ms Wandelt tried to contact Mrs McCann, who did not respond.
She said: "I remember September, October being heavy for calls."
The prosecutor said this continued into November 2024.
The court has previously heard Ms Wandelt "adjusted her target" to the David Payne, a friend of the McCanns.
Mr Payne and his wife Fiona had been on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine went missing in 2007.
Mrs McCann told the court she was aware of this contact after a conversation with Mrs Payne.
Co-accused Karen Spragg is now mentioned by the prosecutor.
A message sent to Mrs McCann from Mrs Spragg read: "Hi Kate you do not know me but I want to reach out about [Julia Wandelt]."
Mrs McCann told the jury she did not know Mrs Spragg by name.
"There was a voicemail from a lady who was Welsh but I didn't know it was her," she said.
The jury has now heard about Julia Wandelt's journey from Poland to the McCanns' home village of Rothley in Leicestershire.
An annual vigil was being held for Madeleine on 3 May 2024 to mark the anniversary of her disappearance.
By chance, the court heard, McCanns were away on the day, but Ms Wandelt approached the village priest and Kate McCann's great-aunt.
When asked about her visit, Mrs McCann told the court: "I was totally relieved we weren't there [at the vigil].
"It's quite a hard experience having the gathering anyway. I felt I would have ended up really upset.
"It would have taken away from the reason we were there."
Mrs McCann was asked about when she became aware of Ms Wandelt's contact with her daughter Amelie.
The court heard she found in September 2024 that Ms Wandelt had been contacting her daughter since January of that year.
She said: "It was the final straw for me. I discussed it with the police."
On repeated DNA test requests, Mrs McCann said: "I almost wanted to put it to bed" to tackle Ms Wandelt's "persistence".
At this point in the proceedings, Ms Wandelt began to sob.
The court heard police had excluded the possibility the defendant was Madeleine.
Mr Duck KC then began talking about others who had claimed they might be Madeleine. He asked if Ms Wandelt's claim was different from others due to her persistence.
Mrs McCann replied: "Totally."
A voicemail sent to Kate McCann from Julia Wandelt is played to the court.
In it, Ms Wandelt said: "If I am her, then everything should be OK but if I'm not, which you probably think, then I'll leave you alone.
"I know my accent is Polish because I live here... I'm not pretty like Madeleine but I know what I know and I know and what I remember.
"Please give me a chance, you don't give up on your daughter, I'm not crazy."
The evidence so far over the past two days has heard about repeated messages Ms Wandelt sent to the McCanns over an extended period of time.
When asked about the first initial contact, Mrs McCann said: "I didn't respond. I didn't want to engage."
The court has now to turned to January 2024, when the jury hears Ms Wandelt contacted Amelie, Madeleine's sister, who is now 20.
Mrs McCann said she was not aware of this but found out about it "later on", she told the court.
She added direct communications from the defendant to her started on 13 April 2024.
One message read: "I never lied to you, I'm not crazy, the media made me look crazy."
Another read: "I don't want money - I only want one call."
The court has now heard Ms Wandelt contacted the Find Madeleine, external website, but Mrs McCann told the jury a web admin "protected them a little bit" and details were not relayed.
"I remember being told she tried to join various groups and forums," Mrs McCann said.
She added the first direct contact she had from Ms Wandelt was in the "early part of last year".
She added between 2022 and 2024, officers involved in Operation Grange - the Met's investigation into the disappearance - kept them informed that Ms Wandelt still believed she was Madeleine.
Mrs McCann has now begun to answer questions from prosecutor Michael Duck KC.
She is asked about her phone number - which as we heard on Monday, has not changed since Madeleine went missing in 2007.
Mr Duck KC now turns to Julia Wandelt - Mrs McCann confirms she was first contacted by the defendant "about three years ago".
She also recalls a phone call - when Ms Wandelt called Glenfield Hospital. In evidence earlier this week, we heard Ms Wandelt called the switchboard in order to try and get hold of her husband, Gerry.