Shannon Matthews' mother faces jail over her kidnap
- 00:01:28
- ITN
Shannon Matthews' mother faces jail over her kidnap
Mother-of-seven Karen Matthews has been found guilty of the kidnap and false imprisonment of her daughter Shannon. Co-accused Michael Donovan is also guilty of the same charges and the pair were additionally convicted of perverting the course of justice. Mr Justice McCombe warned they face a "substantial custodial sentence". He said earlier that he would adjourn sentencing for reports. No application was made for bail and the two defendants were led away. Neither showed any emotion as the jury foreman returned the verdict. Matthews, 33, stood staring straight forward in the stone-coloured jacket she has worn throughout the proceedings and with her red hair hanging untied over her shoulders. Donovan, 40, stood a few feet away from her, separated by a court security officer. There was silence from the rest of the court following the verdict after the judge warned the public gallery against over-emotional responses. The jury of seven men and five women took around six hours to find Matthews and Donovan unanimously guilty of all charges. After they returned their verdict, Mr Justice McCombe thanked the jury members for their "careful consideration" throughout the trial. The judge said: "You have done it with great aplomb and behaved with great dignity." During the three-week trial, Leeds Crown Court heard that Shannon, now ten, went missing on February 19 as she walked home from school. After a massive search operation by West Yorkshire Police costing almost £3.2 million, she was found by police in Donovan's flat, less than a mile from her home, on March 14. The search was one of the largest ever conducted by the West Yorkshire force. The prosecution told the jury that Donovan kept Shannon drugged and imprisoned in his flat as part of a plan he and Matthews hatched to claim £50,000 in reward money. Matthews denied the abduction and blamed the crime on her former partner, Craig Meehan, and other members of his family. She said she was "disgusted" by allegations that she was involved in her daughter's kidnap. Donovan, who is the uncle of Mr Meehan, claimed he was scared of Matthews and agreed to take Shannon only because he feared for his life. Outside court, friends and neighbours of Matthews spoke of their feelings following the conviction. Petra Jamieson said she was shocked that Matthews showed no emotion as the verdicts were delivered. She said: "She didn't seem bothered. All us lot have been here all the way through it, but she didn't seem to care. "I don't think it has hit home yet. Maybe it will when she comes to be sentenced. Friend Julie Bushby said she still "loved her to bits" and would visit Matthews in prison. She said: "I'm not bothered by the verdicts. It's Karen who's let us down. She's not shown any emotion. The tears she cried were crocodile tears. She did not want to comment on Donovan but described him as "weird". Speaking outside the court, Detective Superintendant Andy Brennan, who led the investigation, described Matthews as "pure evil". He said she deceived those closest to her from the moment Shannon was kidnapped. "They had no reason to believe Shannon had been taken as part of an elaborate scam or hoax," he said. "It is difficult to understand what type of woman would subject her own daughter to such a wicked and evil crime. "Karen Matthews is a manipulative individual who has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lie."
ITN | December 4, 2008
