Donnovan denies Shannon plot

Shannon Matthews' alleged kidnapper has denied any knowledge of a strap found in his loft. It is alleged the strap was used as a leash to restrain Shannon after Michael Donovan, 40, conspired with the schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews to abduct her. He said the strap was a "mystery" to him as he was unable to get into his loft. And he claims a list of rules found in his flat was written by Karen Matthews, 33. Frances Oldham QC, representing Matthews, put it to him: "You wrote these rule out yourself, not copied from another piece of paper?" Donovan told the jury he copied the instructions for Shannon from a sheet of A4 paper Matthews gave him. Donovan told the jury he showed Shannon some of his daughter's clothing, adding: "I showed her some. It was up to her if she wore it or not." Donovan earlier told Leeds Crown Court the schoolgirl's ordeal began when she willinglt got into his car, saying her mother had told her they were going to a funfair. Mrs Oldham said: "Yesterday, you told us, Shannon said this: 'Hi Mike, mum said you're taking me to the fair tonight'. "You know Shannon Matthews never said that, did she?" Donovan replied: "Yes, she did." Mrs Oldham continued: "What I suggest happened is you stopped and pushed her into your car." Donovan said: "No, I didn't do that." The court has heard how Shannon, who was nine at the time, was found in Donovan's flat 24 days after she went missing from her home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, in February this year. The prosecution allege Donovan kept her drugged and imprisoned in his flat as part of a plan he and Matthews had to claim £50,000 in reward money. Donovan, of Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, and Matthews, 33, both deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice in connection with the girl's disappearance.

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ITN | November 26, 2008

Tags:. .funfair. .oldham. .restrain. .kidnapper. .qc