Shannon’s mother charged with her kidnapping

THE mother of schoolgirl Shannon Matthews, who went missing for 24 days earlier this year, has been charged with her kidnap and false imprisonment, a court heard yesterday.

Karen Matthews, 32, had previously been accused of perverting the course of justice and child neglect.

The extra charges were revealed yesterday during a plea hearing at Leeds Crown Court.

Matthews appeared in court along with Michael Donovan, 40, who is already charged with nine-year-old Shannon’s kidnap and false imprisonment.

He is also charged with perverting the course of justice, the court heard.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice charges.

No plea was entered for the child neglect charge.

During the 45-minute hearing, Donovan and Matthews did not look at each other and sat staring straight ahead listening to the proceedings.

Reading out the details of the kidnap charge to Matthews and Donovan, the court clerk said: “On the 19th day of February, 2008, you unlawfully and by force or fraud took or carried away Shannon Matthews against her will.”

The false imprisonment charge was read to Matthews and Donovan as: “Between the 18th day of February 2008 and the 15th day of March 2008 you unlawfully and injuriously imprisoned and detained Shannon Matthews against her will.”

And the charge of perverting the course of justice was read out as: “Michael Donovan and Karen Matthews, between the 18th day of February 2008 and the 15th day of March 2008, with the intent to pervert the course of public justice, did a series of acts which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice and that you reported to the West Yorkshire Police that Shannon Matthews was a missing person when you knew where she was and you were keeping her from being found.”

Donovan was barely audible at times as he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Shannon disappeared on February 19 and was discovered less than a mile from her home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, 24 days after she went missing.

Donovan, of Lidgate Gardens, Dewsbury, was arrested on March 14 after the schoolgirl was found in the drawer of a bed in nearby Batley Carr.

Formerly known as Paul Drake, he is the uncle of Shannon’s stepfather, Craig Meehan.

Shannon vanished after going on a swimming trip.

Matthews and Donovan were remanded back into custody until their trial on November 11.