Britain’s ‘worst mother’ Karen Matthews seen for the first time since kidnapper Michael Donovan’s death – and still protests her innocence that daughter Shannon’s ordeal had NOTHING to do with her

That is Karen Matthews, pictured for the primary time because the man she conspired with to assist kidnap her daughter died.

Kidnapper Michael Donovan had colluded with Matthew’s in 2009 when he kidnapped her nine-year-old daughter Shannon and held her captive in a plot to assert a £50,000 award.

The schoolgirl, who had been drugged and hidden within the draw of a divan mattress, was discovered 24 days later after police raided Donovan’s council flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire.

Donovan and Matthews had been each discovered responsible of kidnap, false, imprisonment and perverting the courtroom of justice and served half their sentence of eight years in jail.

On Tuesday, it was introduced that the Donovan had died age 54 after collapsing in a psychological well being unit on the Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley. He had been affected by mind most cancers. 

Rising for the primary time immediately, carrying an extended beige puffer coat and along with her face hidden behind a pink scarf, Matthews emerged from her shabby flat and shouted ‘I am harmless, depart me alone.’

She stared intensely forward as she rushed away along with her fingers in her pockets.

Matthews, 47, grew to become a family identify precisely 15 years in the past when she appeared on TV crying as she appealed for folks to come back ahead with details about her daughter’s whereabouts. 

Donovan died on Tuesday after collapsing at Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley, West Yorkshire

Talking on behalf of Matthews, her boyfriend Paul Saunders, a convicted paedophile informed MailOnline: ‘She’s over the moon that Donovan is useless. It is the most effective information she’s had in ages.

‘Karen hopes that he rots in hell, we each do. Donovan is scum, we hope that he had a painful loss of life.’

He added: ‘She was informed about it in a telephone name and he or she screamed with happiness. She was punching the air as a result of this man deserved to die. Good riddance to him.’

Regardless of Matthews’ conviction, Saunders insisted: ‘She’s harmless. It was Donovan who did the crime and kidnapped Shannon. She had nothing to do with it. Folks have gotten this all mistaken.’

Shannon was reported lacking from her residence property in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on February 19, 2008.

Police launched a £3.2million search to search out Shannon, solely to find that she had been tied up and drugged in Donovan’s residence for twenty-four days – hidden in his bed room with a listing of guidelines on the best way to behave.

The lady was discovered within the drawer of a divan mattress in his bed room, only a mile from her Dewsbury residence.

Saunders immediately revealed that Matthews has not seen her daughter or her different six kids for ‘a number of years’ and has no contact with the remainder of her household.

He mentioned: ‘Karen has been unfairly portrayed as Britain’s worst mom. But it surely’s complete lies. Donovan is the one prison right here.’

Shannon Matthews, aged 9 when she was taken captive, has been granted a brand new id and lifelong anonymity alongside along with her six siblings

Shannon Matthews’ mom Karen Matthews plotted the faux kidnap in a bid to assert the £50,000 reward put up for supply in February 2009

Carrying an extended beige puffer coat and along with her face hidden behind a pink scarf, Matthews emerged from her shabby flat and shouted ‘I am harmless, depart me alone.’

Saunders insisted immediately: ‘She’s harmless. It was Donovan who did the crime and kidnapped Shannon. She had nothing to do with it. Folks have gotten this all mistaken’

Saunders was jailed for 5 years at Oxford Crown Court docket in 2010 for sexual exercise with a toddler and sexual assault. He should signal the Intercourse Offenders’ Register for all times.

He and Matthews stay collectively within the south of England and are believed to have been collectively for round 5 years. They met after Saunders labored at her residence as a handyman. 

Shannon and her siblings have been granted new identities and lifelong anonymity following a Excessive Court docket injunction in 2020 and are saved aside from their mom.

Matthews and Donovan had been each jailed for eight years at Leeds Crown Court docket in January 2009 after being convicted of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. 

Every served 4 years of their sentences earlier than being launched in 2012. Matthews was launched in April 2012 and given a brand new taxpayer-funded id and residential.

Her new identify – Kate – was mentioned to have been impressed by one in all her Hollywood idols. 

Since leaving jail Matthews, who is seemingly teatotal, beforehand was receiving common help from a gaggle of non secular volunteers. 

Matthews was seen in a fish and chip store regardless of her disguise and someone seen her and threw a plate of mushy peas over her head, in keeping with a passerby who noticed her in 2017.

Matthews was launched from jail in April 2012 and was given a brand new id. Pictured: Matthews in Berkshire in 2020

Matthews noticed getting a bus in Studying in February 2022, 14 years on after she reported her daughter lacking 

Matthews and Saunders noticed collectively in February 2020 after police had been referred to as to their residence following a blazing row 

Following the alleged assault in a chip store, a supply mentioned: ‘Karen thinks that is simply the beginning and wonders what number of extra assaults she’s going to endure. 

‘She was glad it was just some peas however subsequent time it could possibly be worse. She was dwelling fairly a peaceable life till this programme got here alongside.

‘However Karen being Karen, she would not suppose it’s something to do with what she did by kidnapping her daughter.’

The supply added: ‘She is a great distance from Dewsbury and has solely been recognised a few instances in a 12 months.

‘However now with this new drama on the telly she’s petrified. The present is bringing her crimes to the eye of lot extra folks, who had been youthful on the time and weren’t conscious of what she did.’

Matthews case was pushed again into the general public eye following the 2017 BBC drama The Moorside – which noticed Sheridan Smith play household pal Julie Bushby. 

The BBC1 programme was made by ITV Studios and watched by 7.2million viewers on the time. 

Matthews cousin, Susan Howgate, slammed the drama on the time saying it might ‘carry the whole lot again’ and trigger pointless ache.

‘Members of the family will get grief like they’ve performed previously. I’ve had a whole lot of bother, and identical with my auntie. Folks maintain saying stuff to her nonetheless,’ Ms Howgate mentioned on the time.  

Matthews, was sacked from her volunteer function due to her relationship with Saunders (pictured collectively in 2020)

Matthews (pictured immediately) met Saunders when he labored as a handyman in her residence

Paedophile Saunders noticed leaving the couple’s flat immediately 

Following the programme’s launch, Matthews was mentioned to be fearing for her life, utilizing a face scarf to cowl her id strolling the road. Since leaving jail she reportedly gave up consuming. 

She took up a job at a charity store after struggling to search out one other due to her notoriety.   

Matthews claimed she was struggling to outlive on advantages of £25 per week and prayed daily to search out the power to hold on.  

In 2020 it was revealed that Matthews had been fired from her job on the charity store after bosses discovered she wished to marry a paedophile.

The nice trigger retailer is linked to a Christian group who had been appalled after they heard what she had performed.  

After information of her engagement to Saunders was made public the store informed she will be able to now not work there over right here ‘error in judgement over the connection.

‘The boss was gobsmacked after they discovered what had occurred, a supply informed The Solar. ‘They informed her they cannot have somebody working there in a relationship with somebody like that. It goes in opposition to the whole lot the charity stands for.’

Regardless of their convictions, Matthews and Saunders each seem like dwelling a standard life. The mom has been noticed leaving a B&M retailer, shopping for trainers and visiting a Pets at Dwelling Retailer.

The couple have additionally been shopping for fish and chips collectively. 

Julie Bushby has steered Shannon ‘can get some peace now’ that Donovan has died.

Karen Matthews’ former greatest pal Julie Bushby, pictured right here on ITV’s This Morning programme in February 2017, has welcomed the loss of life of Michael Donovan as ‘karma’

Karen Matthews and her then-partner Craig Meehan posed for images outdoors their residence in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, after her daughter Shannon was present in March 2009

Karen Matthews was photographed in February final 12 months with new companion Paul Saunders

She informed the Mirror: ‘Not less than now the taxpayer will avoid wasting cash, and Shannon can get some peace and a few closure.

‘Each time an image of him is proven it should harm her – each time there is a image of Donovan or her mom, it is alongside her image. That is acquired to be onerous to stay with.’

Ms Bushby was one of many lady concerned within the seek for Shannon, later describing how the neighborhood ‘paid the value’ for Matthews’ and Donovan’s crimes.

She was amongst those that slept all evening in a neighborhood centre with the lights saved on to behave as a beacon to assist the schoolgirl discover her method residence.

In 2016, Ms Bushby mentioned many individuals dwelling within the space felt like they had been partly blamed for what had occurred, mentioned: ‘It is as in the event that they punished us for what occurred and killed our neighborhood spirit.

‘There’s solely a few handful of the originals left on the property – most have moved as a result of they do not need to be related to it.’

Donovan is alleged to have informed a relative earlier this 12 months he had been given simply three to 9 months to stay after being recognized with Stage 3 mind most cancers.

He was given the identify Paul Drake when born however later modified it to Michael Donovan after a TV sci-fi character, earlier than one other current swap to Aiden Johnson.

West Yorkshire Police was final 12 months investigating him for the alleged possession of kid pornography and he was positioned underneath a sexual hurt prevention order after showing at Bradford Crown Court docket.

Karen Matthews is pictured in March 2008 holding her daughter’s favorite teddy bear as she feigned an emotional attraction for her secure return

She is seen right here leaving Dewsbury police station in April 2008 after being charged

West Yorkshire Police launched footage of her being interviewed by officers on the time

A relative of Donovan mentioned: ‘He had informed me previously that he had most cancers, however I did not consider him at first as a result of he would make issues up. I used to be informed he had lung most cancers which unfold to his mind.

‘I am glad that his struggling is lastly over. I really feel sorry for Mick – he was a idiot to himself.’

And Ms Bushby steered she was not stunned by the revelation in regards to the sexual hurt prevention order, saying: ‘It is clear he was nonetheless a hazard to kids – so it is good he is useless.’ 

She informed of nonetheless feeling it ‘irritating’ that locals didn’t know on the time of Shannon’s disappearance than Donovan was beforehand suspected of abducting his personal daughter 15 months earlier.

Ms Bushby added: ‘It will have been over in a breath if we would been informed that however as an alternative it became one of many largest police hunts ever.’

Donovan was pronounced useless on Tuesday afternoon after collapsing at Three Valleys Hospital, whose personal operators Elysium Healthcare refused to remark.