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Shannon mother 'said plan failed' Shannon mother 'planned to leave'
(about 3 hours later)
Shannon Matthews's mother said she reported her daughter missing when a plan to move in with co-accused Michael Donovan went wrong, a jury heard.Shannon Matthews's mother said she reported her daughter missing when a plan to move in with co-accused Michael Donovan went wrong, a jury heard.
Karen Matthews told a detective and two friends that she had asked Mr Donovan to look after Shannon while she left her partner, Leeds Crown Court heard.Karen Matthews told a detective and two friends that she had asked Mr Donovan to look after Shannon while she left her partner, Leeds Crown Court heard.
Det Con Christine Freeman then told Ms Matthews she would be arrested.Det Con Christine Freeman then told Ms Matthews she would be arrested.
Ms Matthews, 33, of Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, and Mr Donovan, 40, deny kidnap and false imprisonment.Ms Matthews, 33, of Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, and Mr Donovan, 40, deny kidnap and false imprisonment.
Mrs Freeman, a police family liaison officer, said Ms Matthews's friends asked her whether she had arranged for Mr Donovan to take Shannon while she left her partner Craig Meehan. The court heard that Ms Matthews had told a different story when interviewed by police after Shannon was found but before she was arrested.
She said Mr Donovan took her daughter because she turned down an offer he made to let her and her children stay with him last December.
People will hate me for what I've done and I've disgraced the kids What Karen Matthews allegedly told friendsPeople will hate me for what I've done and I've disgraced the kids What Karen Matthews allegedly told friends
She said the offer came after she had been arguing with her partner Craig Meehan.
Ms Matthews told officers: "That's the reason he's done this. I could have protected her from him.
"I never thought he [Mr Donovan] was like that. What he's done had shocked us all."
In the interviews Ms Matthews was asked directly if she knew where her daughter was all along.
She said: "I swear on my life I did not."
'Floods of tears'
Mrs Freeman, a police family liaison officer, said Ms Matthews made her admission three weeks later when two friends asked her whether she had arranged for Mr Donovan to take Shannon while she left Mr Meehan.
The officer told the court: "Karen took the biggest intake of breath that I've ever heard in my life and said, 'Yes, that's right'.The officer told the court: "Karen took the biggest intake of breath that I've ever heard in my life and said, 'Yes, that's right'.
"She said that she'd planned to leave Craig and she'd asked for Mike to take Shannon and she'd packed her bag intending to leave but then she'd ended up having to report Shannon missing to cover her back.""She said that she'd planned to leave Craig and she'd asked for Mike to take Shannon and she'd packed her bag intending to leave but then she'd ended up having to report Shannon missing to cover her back."
The court heard Ms Matthews made the admission while in a car with the detective and her friends Natalie Brown and Julie Bushby, three weeks after Shannon was found. Ms Matthews's friends Natalie Brown and Julie Bushby were asked about the conversation.
Shannon Matthews disappeared for 24 days in February
Mrs Brown said: "She was in floods of tears, shaking, really scared."Mrs Brown said: "She was in floods of tears, shaking, really scared."
She said Ms Matthews told them: "People will hate me for what I've done and I've disgraced the kids."She said Ms Matthews told them: "People will hate me for what I've done and I've disgraced the kids."
Shannon Matthews disappeared for 24 days in February
Mrs Bushby told the jury: "She said she's packed her bags ready to leave him and couldn't go through with it.Mrs Bushby told the jury: "She said she's packed her bags ready to leave him and couldn't go through with it.
"She was crying, sobbing really. She was blaming everybody else but herself.""She was crying, sobbing really. She was blaming everybody else but herself."
Earlier the jury was read transcripts from interviews Ms Matthews gave to the police under caution after Shannon was found but before she was arrested. The court also heard from a forensic toxicologist who said that Shannon had regularly been ingesting the drug temazepam and travel sickness medication for up to 20 months before her disappearance.
She said Mr Donovan had asked her to go and live with him after she had an argument with Mr Meehan last December. Dr Craig Chatterton said it was not usual for children to be given temazepam, as it was a powerful sleep inducer.
Ms Matthews said she declined the offer.
Leeds Crown Court heard she told police: "That's the reason he's done this. I could have protected her from him."
She said she and Mr Donovan had "never been close".
Ms Matthews was asked directly if she knew where her daughter was all along.
She said: "I swear on my life I did not.
"If I knew where she was I would have gone and grabbed her myself."
On Tuesday the trial heard that nine-year-old Shannon was found hidden under a bed by police at Mr Donovan's flat in Batley Carr, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.On Tuesday the trial heard that nine-year-old Shannon was found hidden under a bed by police at Mr Donovan's flat in Batley Carr, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
The prosecution claim Ms Matthews and Mr Donovan planned the kidnap of Shannon together so they could claim £50,000 of reward money. Ms Matthews and Mr Donovan also deny perverting the course of justice.
Ms Matthews and Mr Donovan, also deny perverting the course of justice.
The trial continues.The trial continues.