Shannon Matthews' Mum: My Tears Of Joy

Mar 16 2008 By Norman Silvester

I Did Not Give Up My Hope, Says Shannon's Mother But Cops Will Not Let Little Girl Go Home For 3 Weeks

THE jubilant mum of Shannon Matthews yesterday said she couldn't wait to put her daughter to bed in her own room again.

Karen Matthews never gave up hope that her daughter would be found safe and well.

And 24 days after the nine-year-old went missing, her dearest wish was granted when police raided a relative's flat and found her lying inside the base of a double bed.

Mick Donovan, the uncle of Shannon's step-dad Craig Meehan, was arrested by cops who broke down the door of his flat.

Now specialist officers will attempt to tease information out of the youngster about her ordeal without scarring her further.

The family will not be allowed to see her until that process is complete. Some said that could take up to three weeks.

Police sources say Shannon will not be allowed home until they are "100 per cent certain" that no one else in her family was involved in her abduction.

Karen, 32, and Craig, 22, posed hand-in-hand and kissed twice outside the family home in Dewsbury, Yorkshire.

Karen said: "When I first saw Shannon again I was overwhelmed - I just couldn't stop crying, knowing she's back where she belongs and she's safe.

"I never gave up hope and now she'll be able to come home and sleep in her room again. We've got her new pink bedding which she'll love.

"The police have helped a lot. We can't thank them enough."

Karen said the support from the local community had been "fantastic".

She added: "We're just happy to be a family again. That's all we've wanted - Shannon back and safe."

Karen, wearing a striped jumper, looked weary as she turned back to the house.

The youngster's father, Leon Rose, said: "I ambuzzing over it. I'm over the moon and I can't wait to see her. I'mthankful that the nightmare is over."

Police have begun the painstaking task of talking to Shannon about her 24-day ordeal, using a specially-designed interview suite made to look like a classroom.

Every interview is being filmed to avoid Shannon giving evidence at any trial.

She is under a Emergency Police Protection Order and her family have no legal right of access to her while it is in force.

Shannon's mum, dad and stepdad were briefly reunited with her on Friday night.

But she will not be allowed home until police have interviewed ALL her family.

It is understood Donovan's older sister Alice Meehan, to whom he was close, will be quizzed by police this week. Yesterday an officer was standing outside her home. Alice is the mum of Shannon's stepdad Craig.

A police spokesman said: "Shannon had a comfortable and settled night on Friday and is starting on the road to recovery following her ordeal.

"She spent the night watching DVDs, has had breakfast on Saturday morning and has been playing with a kitten.

"Today she will continue to be supported by specially-trained officers who will try to carefully establish what has happened since she went missing on February 19.

"She will be told there will be no pressure on her to answer questions and police are aware that some of her account may be contradictory because of her ordeal.

Her well-being and welfare continues to be the priority of West Yorkshire Police."

Yesterday, officers defended the amount of time taken to find Shannon - even though the girl's mum had said she suspected someone who knew the family had snatched her.

It emerged that a family friend, Ryan Baynes, 29, from Dewsbury, had contacted police naming Donovan - formerly known as Paul Drake - as a suspect several days after she disappeared.

He told police that Donovan had been at a family funeral six weeks before she went missing and had bounced the girl on his knee and paid her "too much attention".

Police were also given his name as a suspect by the charity Missing People.

But they only acted three weeks later when they realised the address given matched that given by a female neighbour of Donovan.

The woman contacted police on Friday because she heard a child's footsteps in the house, knowing that no children lived there.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Officers began the investigation by interviewing members of the nine-year-old's immediate family and then widened the inquiry to members of the extended family.

"There were literally hundreds of people in a huge family network that required a large amount of resources."

MAILFILE: HER FAMILY

KAREN MATTHEWS

Shannon's mother, 32, admitted she feared someone close to her family may have snatched her daughter.

Karen has seven children to six different dads. Tony, 11, Shannon, nine, Cameron, five, and two-year-old Courtney live with her.

Her other three children - Ian, 10, Kelly, six, and Daniel, seven - live with their fathers.

CRAIG MEEHAN

Shannon's stepdad, 22, angrily denied claims by relatives last Sunday that he had hit Shannon.

Fishmonger Craig insisted: "I've never laid a finger on her."

LEON ROSE

Shannon's father, 29, said after her dramatic rescue: "It's like winning the lottery.

"I'd actually been in that area a number of times and probably just walked straight past the house that she was in.

"Thank God she is alive."

MICK DONOVAN

Police arrested Donovan, 39, formerly known as Paul Drake, on suspicion of Shannon's abduction at the flat in Lidgate Gardens, in the Batley Carr area of Dewsbury on Friday. He is an uncle of Shannon's stepdad Craig.

ALICE MEEHAN

Donovan's sister Alice, 49, spoke of her horror at learning he was hiding the schoolgirl while Shannon's mum Karen endured weeks of anguish.

Alice, who is Craig's mum, said on Friday: "I can't believe he had her, my own brother.

"He has brought shame on our family. I'm sure there's no way he would have hurt her.

"Police have told us she is now OK."

MARTIN MATTHEWS

Shannon's uncle, 42, claimed last week that the schoolgirl visited him 24 hours before she disappeared and tearfully begged to stay the night.

He said the nine-year-old was too frightened to go home and pleaded with him: "Please can I stay here tonight - I can't go home because I'm in trouble."

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