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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Mother jailed over Shannon kidnap | Mother jailed over Shannon kidnap |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The mother of Shannon Matthews has been jailed for kidnapping her own daughter in an attempt to claim reward money. | The mother of Shannon Matthews has been jailed for kidnapping her own daughter in an attempt to claim reward money. |
| Karen Matthews, 33, and her co-accused Michael Donovan, 40, were earlier found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. | Karen Matthews, 33, and her co-accused Michael Donovan, 40, were earlier found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. |
| Both were jailed for eight years by a judge at Leeds Crown Court who said the offences were "truly despicable". | Both were jailed for eight years by a judge at Leeds Crown Court who said the offences were "truly despicable". |
| Shannon was held at Donovan's flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, for 24 days. | Shannon was held at Donovan's flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, for 24 days. |
| The judge, Mr Justice McCombe, said: "The offences that you committed were truly despicable. | The judge, Mr Justice McCombe, said: "The offences that you committed were truly despicable. |
| "It is impossible to conceive how you could have found it in you to put this young girl through the ordeal that you inflicted upon her. | "It is impossible to conceive how you could have found it in you to put this young girl through the ordeal that you inflicted upon her. |
| "It is incomprehensible that you could have permitted your friends, neighbours and in your case, Matthews, even your children to sacrifice time and energy in extensive searches for the supposedly missing child." | "It is incomprehensible that you could have permitted your friends, neighbours and in your case, Matthews, even your children to sacrifice time and energy in extensive searches for the supposedly missing child." |
| [Shannon] appeared to relive her experiences and she often complained of having nightmares where she is being tied up Judge, Mr Justice McCombe | [Shannon] appeared to relive her experiences and she often complained of having nightmares where she is being tied up Judge, Mr Justice McCombe |
| The judge said it was doubtful Matthews and Donovan could have planned and carried out the kidnap without other people. | The judge said it was doubtful Matthews and Donovan could have planned and carried out the kidnap without other people. |
| He said: "Having regard to their low intellect... it must be doubtful whether they could have conceived or continued these offences without the assistance or connivance of others. | He said: "Having regard to their low intellect... it must be doubtful whether they could have conceived or continued these offences without the assistance or connivance of others. |
| "The pre-sentence report in Matthews' case comments that neither defendant seems to have the cognitive ability to devise and orchestrate such an elaborate offence with any degree of likelihood of success." | "The pre-sentence report in Matthews' case comments that neither defendant seems to have the cognitive ability to devise and orchestrate such an elaborate offence with any degree of likelihood of success." |
| Shannon, now 10, went missing on 19 February as she walked home from school. | Shannon, now 10, went missing on 19 February as she walked home from school. |
| During the trial, the jury heard pair Shannon was "drugged, subdued and hidden from the public" so the defendants could claim reward money. | During the trial, the jury heard pair Shannon was "drugged, subdued and hidden from the public" so the defendants could claim reward money. |
| She was found in Donovan's flat, hidden in in the base of a divan bed, less than a mile from her home, on 14 March, following a £3.2m police investigation. | She was found in Donovan's flat, hidden in in the base of a divan bed, less than a mile from her home, on 14 March, following a £3.2m police investigation. |
| Shannon Matthews went missing on her way from school in February | Shannon Matthews went missing on her way from school in February |
| The judge said that although Shannon was not physically harmed, her experience must have been "highly disturbing". | The judge said that although Shannon was not physically harmed, her experience must have been "highly disturbing". |
| He said: "It is clear as a matter of common sense that it must have been highly disturbing to a nine-year-old child to be removed suddenly from her normal environment... without knowing when, if at all, she would be returned." | He said: "It is clear as a matter of common sense that it must have been highly disturbing to a nine-year-old child to be removed suddenly from her normal environment... without knowing when, if at all, she would be returned." |
| Reading from the report about Shannon's recovery, he said: "She appeared to relive her experiences and she often complained of having nightmares where she is being tied up." | Reading from the report about Shannon's recovery, he said: "She appeared to relive her experiences and she often complained of having nightmares where she is being tied up." |
| He said she would need to undergo psychotherapy sessions. | He said she would need to undergo psychotherapy sessions. |
| Media 'hysteria' | Media 'hysteria' |
| In mitigation for Donovan, Alan Conrad QC, told Leeds Crown Court the barristers in the case had a combined legal experience of more than 100 years but none had come across a case like it. | In mitigation for Donovan, Alan Conrad QC, told Leeds Crown Court the barristers in the case had a combined legal experience of more than 100 years but none had come across a case like it. |
| Frances Oldham QC, for Matthews, said her client had committed "serious offences" but she criticised the media "hysteria" that followed her conviction. Advertisement | |
| Verdict on Shannon case | |
| Making reference to a comment by Det Supt Andy Brennan, who condemned Matthews as "pure evil", Ms Oldham said: "[This] is the one thing she is not." | Making reference to a comment by Det Supt Andy Brennan, who condemned Matthews as "pure evil", Ms Oldham said: "[This] is the one thing she is not." |
| The barrister said Matthews had been isolated in prison because of how she had been portrayed and had received no visitors except for her lawyers. | The barrister said Matthews had been isolated in prison because of how she had been portrayed and had received no visitors except for her lawyers. |
| Ms Oldham said: "She is not Myra Hindley, she is not Rose West." | Ms Oldham said: "She is not Myra Hindley, she is not Rose West." |
| Det Supt Andy Brennan, the officer who led the investigation, said the case was now closed. | Det Supt Andy Brennan, the officer who led the investigation, said the case was now closed. |
| He said: "If new evidence comes to light, it will of course be investigated. | He said: "If new evidence comes to light, it will of course be investigated. |
| "We considered all the evidence, including what Shannon said, with the CPS and concluded there was not sufficient evidence to charge anybody else." | "We considered all the evidence, including what Shannon said, with the CPS and concluded there was not sufficient evidence to charge anybody else." |