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Girl 'forced to follow list of strict rules as flat captive'
DETAILS of Shannon's ordeal included how she was drugged to keep her quiet and had to live under a set of strict house rules, the court heard.
Julian Goose QC, prosecuting, said while the very public search was continuing for Shannon, Donovan was hiding her in his flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr.
An elasticated strap tied to a roof beam in the loft could have been used to restrain the schoolgirl's movements when Donovan was out leading his "normal" life, the jury heard.
None of the neighbours saw her there and she was given a list of rules of what she could and could not do which was later found on top of the television.
Mr Goose said the rules ended with three letters IPU which was something that Shannon used with her mother Karen Matthews standing for "I promise you."
He told the jury: "It was important to the plan between the two defendants that Shannon was not discovered until such time as they planned to release her."
A further "more sinister way" of ensuring she was not found was the use by Donovan of drugs "to quieten and subdue" her.
Urine tests carried out after her rescue revealed he had given her Temazepam tablets which were prescribed for him. They also showed the active ingredient found in a travel sickness tablet called Traveleeze.
"Both of these drugs cause sleep and drowsiness," he said. It would particularly affect a child more than an adult.
During her captivity Donovan bought Traveleeze medication. Four days before Shannon was found a receipt in his flat showed he bought two boxes of the tablets at 2.34pm from Boots the Chemist in Batley.
The Temazepam tablets found were part of his weekly prescription which he continued to collect during the search period.
Mr Goose said the presence of the drugs in her urine confirmed she had ingested them in the days leading up to March 14.
In addition samples of her hair confirmed she had ingested both drugs over a substantial period while living with her mother, in the case of Temazepam in excess of nine months. "We say the continued use of Temazepam upon a nine-year-old child both before and after her kidnap must have been with the knowledge of Karen Matthews."
Shannon was found hidden in the base of a divan bed after police officers broke into Donovan's home when he failed to answer their knocking.
When they got into his first floor flat they heard a girl's voice saying "Stop it, you're frightening me." The youngster was hidden in the base crying with Donovan hiding from the police in the other half of the base.
A search revealed a long strap in the loft which dropped through a hatch into the flat.
It had a large loop at the end which would reach around
most of the flat but prevent anyone leaving through the front door.
"The prosecution say that it is a reasonable inference that Donovan, who had used other methods of subduing Shannon Matthews, had employed the strap to restrain her when he left the flat to go shopping."
The trial continues.
More opening day coverage:
Shannon 'drugged and bound in 50,000 fraud plot'>>
Shock end to happy swimming trip>>
Mum's tearful TV appeals recalled>>
Phone call that marked the beginning of huge investigation>>
Donovan branded fantasist by sister>>
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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