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| Shannon Matthews: Man behind kidnapping plot dies | Shannon Matthews: Man behind kidnapping plot dies |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Michael Donovan staged Shannon Matthews' disappearance | Michael Donovan staged Shannon Matthews' disappearance |
| The man behind a fake kidnap plot involving West Yorkshire girl Shannon Matthews has died aged 54. | The man behind a fake kidnap plot involving West Yorkshire girl Shannon Matthews has died aged 54. |
| Michael Donovan and Shannon's mother Karen Matthews staged the nine-year-old's disappearance in February 2008 in a scheme to claim a £50,000 reward. | Michael Donovan and Shannon's mother Karen Matthews staged the nine-year-old's disappearance in February 2008 in a scheme to claim a £50,000 reward. |
| The 24-day search for Shannon ended when she was found in a bed drawer a few miles from her Dewsbury Moor home. | The 24-day search for Shannon ended when she was found in a bed drawer a few miles from her Dewsbury Moor home. |
| Matthews and Donovan were jailed for kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. | Matthews and Donovan were jailed for kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. |
| A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were contacted on Tuesday 16 April and made aware of the death of a man in hospital in the Steeton area. | A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were contacted on Tuesday 16 April and made aware of the death of a man in hospital in the Steeton area. |
| "The death is not being treated as suspicious and enquiries will be conducted on behalf of the coroner." | "The death is not being treated as suspicious and enquiries will be conducted on behalf of the coroner." |
| Shannon Matthews was found after a 24-day search | Shannon Matthews was found after a 24-day search |
| Shannon went missing as she walked home on 19 February, sparking one of the largest searches ever conducted by West Yorkshire Police. | Shannon went missing as she walked home on 19 February, sparking one of the largest searches ever conducted by West Yorkshire Police. |
| Her mother later issued an emotional appeal as more than 300 police officers became involved in the search. | Her mother later issued an emotional appeal as more than 300 police officers became involved in the search. |
| However, Shannon was eventually found by police in Donovan's flat, in nearby Batley Carr on 14 March. | However, Shannon was eventually found by police in Donovan's flat, in nearby Batley Carr on 14 March. |
| During their trial at Leeds Crown Court, prosecutors said Donovan kept Shannon drugged and imprisoned in his property as part of a plan he and Matthews hatched to claim the reward money. | During their trial at Leeds Crown Court, prosecutors said Donovan kept Shannon drugged and imprisoned in his property as part of a plan he and Matthews hatched to claim the reward money. |
| The pair were each jailed for eight years. | The pair were each jailed for eight years. |
| When he was sentenced, the judge, Mr Justice McCombie, told Donovan and Matthews that what they had done was "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," he said. | |
| Karen Matthews was also jailed for the fake kidnap plot | |
| Shannon's disappearance led to a huge nationwide effort to find her, as police appeals were shared far and wide and volunteers from across the community in Dewsbury joined in the search. | |
| This was later dramatised in a 2017 BBC mini-series, called The Moorside, starring Sheridan Smith. | |
| The police investigation alone was later revealed to have cost £3.2m. | |
| During the court case, it was revealed that Donovan and Matthews had planned to release Shannon at Dewsbury Market and then "find" her, so they could claim the reward. | |
| But the plot was foiled when Shannon, who had been restrained by a homemade leash, was was found hidden in the bottom of a divan bed frame at Donovan's home. | |
| The pair's sentencing hearing was told that while Shannon had not been physically harmed during the kidnap, she had experienced frequent nightmares afterwards. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Dewsbury | Dewsbury |
| West Yorkshire Police | West Yorkshire Police |