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Day 15: Shannon jury retires to consider verdict
A JURY has retired to consider their verdicts in the case of Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan, accused of kidnapping schoolgirl Shannon Matthews and holding her captive for 24 days.
The judge yesterday summed up the evidence in the case in which the pair are accused of plotting to claim reward money for the nine-year-old's return.
Mr Justice McCombe told the seven men and five women they should feel under no pressure.
He added they were required to come to a verdict solely on the evidence they have heard at Leeds Crown Court.
"When you retire, you must reach unanmous verdicts that is on which all of you are agreed," he told them. "You may have heard where courts can accept majority verdicts. That situation has not arisen in this case, if it does I will call you back into court and give you a formal direction."
Shannon disappeared after a school swimming trip on February 19 this year and was missing for 24 days. Her disappearance sparked a massive search by West Yorkshire Police, one of the biggest missing persons inquiries ever seen in Britain.
The court has heard police found the schoolgirl concealed in the base of a bed at Donovan's flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, just a mile from her home.
Proscutors claim the nine-year-old was kidnapped and held captive as part of a plan concocted by her mum and Donovan in a bid to get up to 50,000 from the media.
Matthews, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, and Donovan, have pleaded not guilty to kidnapping Shannon, false imprisonment, and perverting the course of justice by reporting her missing knowing they were keeping her from being found.
Donovan, 40, who was formerly known as Paul Drake, and is the uncle of Craig Meehan, Matthews' former boyfriend.
He has claimed he took the girl as part of an agreement with Matthews because she had threatened him.
Matthews denies knowing her daughter was to be held and has blamed the crime on her former boyfriend, Craig Meehan, and other members of his family.
The case continues.
More coverage:
Day 13: Shannon's mother 'lied and lied again'>>
Day 12: Mother 'did not know about Shannon drugs'>>
Day 11: I didn't do it, Shannon's tearful mum tells court>>
Day 10: Kidnap accused 'hid Shannon in flat out of fear'>>
Day nine: Shannon accused faced previous charge of abduction>>
Day eight: Shannon accused too poorly to attend trial>>
Day seven: Shannon taken on trips to park>>
Day six: Shannon mother 'told friends she knew who took her daughter'>>
Day five: Shannon 'frightened and crying when we found her'>>
Day three: 'Creepy' Shannon kidnap accused attacked in prison>>
Day two: Shannon mother 'joked about sex with policeman' during search>>
Day one: Shannon 'drugged and bound in 50,000 fraud plot'>>
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
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