Two members of the ‘Tapas Seven’ have told how they were also sent ‘disturbing’ messages by a Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann.

David and Fiona Payne, who were on holiday with Kate and Gerry McCann when Madeleine vanished, gave evidence in court on Wednesday against Julia Wandelt, 24.

The couple, members of the so-called Tapas Seven who were dining together at a restaurant in Portugal on the night in May 2007, spoke about the impact Madeleine’s disappearance has had on them and the McCanns.

They have never spoken publicly before about the case.

Mrs Payne, an anaesthetist, become emotional when describing how her daughter Lily, who was the same age as Madeleine at the time of her disappearance, had also been contacted by Wandelt.

She said the messages sent to her were more ‘a bit more emotive and persuasive’ then the ones she had received.

Nadia Silver, prosecuting, said: How did you feel to know your daughter had been contacted in that way?

Mrs Payne replied: ‘It is really difficult, she is a vulnerable young adult who has been adversely affected by Madeleine’s disappearance.

‘She has the good sense to ignore these messages. I felt angry actually that she sought to manipulate her in that way.

She went on: ‘It’s disturbing we have had lots of unsolicited contact from various people over the years, reporters and the like, people with conspiracy theories and all sorts of people however we have never been contacted by anyone who thinks they could be Madeleine.’

+4
View gallery

Fiona and David Payne, pictured in 2008, gave evidence at Leicester Crown Court today

+4
View gallery

Mr and Mrs Payne gave evidence in court today against 24-year-old Julia Wandelt (pictured)

Wandelt is on trial accused of stalking Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry between June 2022 and February 2025, bombarding them with phone calls, letters and messages claiming to be their daughter and turning up at their home in Rothley, Leicestershire, to demand a DNA test.

She had her co-defendant 61-year-old Karen Spragg, of Caerau Court Road in Caerau, Cardiff, both deny one count of stalking.

Jurors were told that Mrs Payne and Mrs McCann had been friends for more than 20 years, having first met while working together at Leicester General Hospital.

Mrs Payne said: ‘Since then we have been firm friends, very close friends.’

She said she first became aware that Wandelt had been contacting Mrs McCann in Spring last year.

‘I would regularly meet with Kate for walks at Bradgate Park or for coffee and I became aware of her reporting contact on a regular basis from a woman claiming to be Madeleine. I recall Kate being very upset about this and talking at length about this.’

+4
View gallery

Madeleine McCann vanished on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family in Portugal

Mrs Payne said her phone number was made public when police in Portugal published online their files relating to the investigation into Madeleine.

Like Mrs McCann, she too has not changed it since. Jurors were told Wandelt called her three times and sent messages on Facebook.

In one message, Wandelt said she had contacted Mrs Payne as she had read she was ‘one of the few people who still believed Madeleine’ was alive.

Earlier, her husband David, a doctor, told why he had not blocked Wandelt’s number after she called, sent messages and emailled him begging him to put her in touch with Mr and Mrs McCann and to look at her medical records.

He was asked about being part of the Tapas Seven to which he replied: ‘That is a reference that I believe was used by the press but I don’t associate with that.’

In messages and calls Wandelt said she could ‘hear the sadness’ in his voice and said she could help ‘clear your names’.

+4
View gallery

She also forwarded photos of the McCanns and the Payne family and their daughters which she said had been sent by someone ‘close’ to the McCanns and claimed was ‘evidence’ the source of the photos believed her claim to be Madeleine.

Mr Payne said this left him feeling ‘surprised and concerned’.

The court also heard she sent him a message on Christmas Eve last year which read: ‘Merry Christmas David [followed by a snowflake emoji] The truth will set you all free.’

In a phone call, recorded by Wandelt and played to the court, she urges him to put her in touch with the McCanns to which Mr Payne replies: ‘I am not in a position to be able to help, I have had enough trauma and so have the family.

‘They would not be turning things away they believe in. I am not in position to help, I am really sorry we have had enough.’

Asked why he had not blocked her number he replied: ‘Retrospectively, looking back … at the time when you receive the first text message you don’t think there will be multiple messages sent, obviously I am very busy… there was a part of me as well, the nature and content of messages it was concerning and once we knew someone was claiming to be Madeleine, and knowing about the impact that would be on Kate and Gerry.’

On Tuesday, the court heard a DNA comparison carried out by police proved ‘conclusively’ that Wandelt is not Madeleine, who vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz just eight days before her fourth birthday.

The trial will continue on Monday.