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VIDEO: Mum guilty of Shannon's kidnap and false imprisonment
THE mother of Shannon Matthews was facing a "substantial" jail sentence today after being found guilty of kidnapping her daughter.
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Meanwhile, she repeatedly lied and cried "crocodile tears" during a massive search for Shannon, who went missing on her way home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in February.
Twenty-four days after she disappeared, Shannon was found in Donovan's flat, less than a mile from her home.
The pair were found guilty of kidnapping Shannon following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Matthews, 33, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, and Donovan, 40, were also convicted of false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.
The pair showed no emotion as the verdict was returned by the jury of seven men and five women after around six hours of deliberations.
Mr Justice McCombe warned the pair that they face a "substantial custodial sentence".
He said earlier that he would adjourn sentencing for reports. No application was made for bail and the two defendants were led away.
During the three-week trial, the court heard that Shannon, now 10, went missing on February 19 as she walked home from school.
After a massive search operation by West Yorkshire Police costing almost 3.2 million, she was found by police in Donovan's flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, West Yorkshire on March 14.
The search was one of the largest ever conducted by the West Yorkshire force.
The prosecution told the jury that Donovan kept Shannon drugged and imprisoned in his flat as part of a plan he and Matthews hatched to claim 50,000 in reward money.
Matthews denied the abduction and blamed the crime on her former partner, Craig Meehan, and other members of his family.
She said she was "disgusted" by allegations that she was involved in her daughter's kidnap.
Donovan, who is the uncle of Mr Meehan, claims he was scared of Matthews and agreed to take Shannon only because he feared for his life.
Outside court, friends and neighbours of Matthews spoke of their feelings following the conviction.
Petra Jamieson said she was shocked that Matthews showed no emotion as the verdicts were delivered.
She said: "She didn't seem bothered. All us lot have been here all the way through it, but she didn't seem to give a shit.
"I don't think it has hit home yet. Maybe it will when she comes to be sentenced.
Friend Julie Bushby said she still "loved her to bits" and would visit Matthews in prison.
She said: "I'm not bothered by the verdicts. It's Karen who's let us down. She's not shown any emotion. The tears she cried were crocodile tears.
She did not want to comment on Donovan but described him as "weird".
Speaking outside the court, Detective Superintendant Andy Brennan, who led the investigation, described Matthews as "pure evil".
He said she deceived those closest to her from the moment Shannon was kidnapped.
"They had no reason to believe Shannon had been taken as part of an elaborate scam or hoax," he said.
"It is difficult to understand what type of woman would subject her own daughter to such a wicked and evil crime.
"Karen Matthews is a manipulative individual who has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lie."
As the police team that were involved in investigating Shannon's disappearance left the court they stood and posed for photographs.
Detective Constable Christine Freeman, one of the family liaison officers assigned to the case, looked happy and smiled and chatted as the pictures were taken.
Speaking outside the court, Malcolm Taylor, from the West Yorkshire Crown Prosecution Service, described Shannon's kidnap as a "cynical plot".
Mr Taylor said: "This was a story of total disregard for the family and indeed for the public.
"Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan seemed honestly to believe that they could stage the disappearance of Matthews' own daughter and benefit financially from the huge wave of public sympathy that would inevitably follow."
Mr Taylor continued: "In the words of prosecuting counsel she lied, and lied and lied again to the police and through the media to the public while Donovan was holding Shannon drugged and helpless less than two miles from her home."
Mr Taylor added: "This was an abuse of public trust, public services, the public purse and worst of all Matthews' own daughter for personal gain."
Donovan's former wife, Sue Bird, told the BBC: "If he's that unstable - enough to keep a little girl in his flat... when virtually the whole country is out looking for her - how on earth does he expect to get away with that?
"That scared me. Thank God they found her when they did."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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