Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan guilty of kidnapping Shannon » Communities » 24dash.com

The mother of Shannon Matthews was found guilty today of kidnapping her own daughter.

Karen Matthews, 33, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, was also convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court of false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

Her co-defendant Michael Donovan, 40, was found guilty of the same offences.

Nine-year-old Shannon was found in Donovan's flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, 24 days after she went missing in February.

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 defendents 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, less than a mile from her home, 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.

Neither of the defendants showed any emotion as the jury foreman returned the verdict.

Matthews stood staring straight forward in the stone-coloured jacket she has worn throughout the proceedings and with her red hair hanging untied over her shoulders.

Donovan stood a few feet away from her, separated by a court security officer.

There was silence from the rest of the court following the verdict after the judge warned the public gallery against over-emotional responses.

The jury of seven men and five women took around six hours to find Matthews and Donovan unanimously guilty of all charges.

After they returned their verdict, Mr Justice McCombe thanked the jury members for their "careful consideration" throughout the trial.

The judge said: "You have done it with great aplomb and behaved with great dignity."

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.

"I can't believe she showed no emotion."

Ms Jamieson said she expected the pair to be found guilty but it was still a shock.

She added: "I don't think they had any other option. I'm not surprised."

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.

"From the evidence, they had no choice but to find them guilty."

She did not want to comment on Donavan but described him as "weird".