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Monday, 20 October 2025

Police took DNA sample from Madeleine McCann's pillow case days after she disappeared in Portugal, stalking trial hears

Leicester Crown Court heard on Monday that Madeleine's DNA sample taken from her bedroom pillowcase in 2007 was recently used to compare to Wandelt's after she agreed to give a sample in prison in February this year.

Jurors heard it was obtained by Ms Measures on May 14, 2007 when she went to the McCanns' home and was granted access by the McCann's solicitor Richard Jones as the McCanns were still in Portugal.

In her statement read to the court Ms Measures said: 'During the course of my examination I recall speaking with Kate McCann on the telephone' about where best to obtain a sample, which was then taken from a pillowcase on Madeleine's bed.

The court heard a DNA profile was also obtained from neonatal blood drops taken shortly after Madeleine was born, which was compared to the pillow case profile.

Michael Duck KC, prosecuting, asked if there was 'scientific support or otherwise for the proposition that Julia Wandelt is Madeleine McCann?'

Ms Hammond replied: 'I would say they are not the same person.'

Mr Duck said: 'Are there any areas that match?

Ms Hammond replied: 'There are seven areas where they have the same component...out of 32. They happen to have the same component at those designations.'

Mr Duck said: 'Is that a feature that could arrive with any two random samples?' to which Ms Hammond replied: 'Yes exactly.'

Mr Duck went on: 'As far as the primary consideration whether Julia Wandelt could be Madeline McCann scientifically, what does it show?'

Ms Hammond said: 'The profiles from the two samples are different so Julia Wandelt cannot be Madeleine McCann.'

She was also asked to look at 'whether in fact she could be the child of Kate and Gerry McCann'. Mr Duck said: 'Any prospect of Julia Wandelt being the biological child or either Kate of Gerry?'

Ms Hammond replied: 'It shows she is not the biological child of Kate and Gerry McCann and neither is she the biological child of either one of them.'

She added: 'Looking across the whole profile I was satisfied Julia Wandelt is not the biological child of Kate and Gerry McCann.'...<<<Read More>>>...