Karen Matthews: Red-Brown Hair, The Ducking Stool And Jailed
SHANNON WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Shannon Matthews
DAILY TELEGRAPH: “Shannon Matthews’s mother accused of perverting the course of justice”
The mother of nine year old Shannon Matthews has been remanded in custody for her own safety after appearing in court in connection with her alleged kidnap. Neighbours of Karen Matthews packed into the public gallery to see her in the dock during a 13-minute hearing.
To the ducking stool.
What of the facts?
The charge against her are: On a day between Feb 18 and March 15 she wilfully neglected or abandoned Shannon in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering to her or injury to her health.
That between Feb 18 and March 15, with intent to pervert the course of public justice, did a series of acts which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice by repeatedly concealing information in relation to the whereabouts of Shannon in interviews and other contacts with police and claiming to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.
And:
Miss Matthews, who has seven children to five men, was arrested on Sunday evening and underwent two days of questioning by detectives.
How did she look?
Throughout the hearing her face was shielded from the public by her long red-brown hair, but briefly glanced over at that point looking tearful.
DAILY MIRROR: “Shannon Matthews’ mum Karen remanded in custody after court appearance”
The court room was full of media, Moorside residents, police and friends of Karen Matthews. She was said to glance over at them as she was remanded in custody until April 16.
Pass the rotten fruit. How did she look?
The red-haired 32-year-old was led from Dewsbury police station…
DEWSBURY REPORTER: “SHANNON’S MUM IN COURT”
How did she look?
Surrounded by four security guards, 32-year-old Matthews, wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, spoke only to confirm her name and address.
Shannon Matthews: A cracking story
April 9th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
The charge against her are: On a day between Feb 18 and March 15 she wilfully neglected or abandoned Shannon in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering to her or injury to her health.
i will be interested to learn in what way the mother negected her child and why the same law has escaped the McCanns ?
April 9th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
The way I see it, Shannon was less neglected than Madeline as at least her mum left her WITH someone. (Although the choice of childminder leaves a lot to be desired IMO.)
April 9th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Come on Clarrie,
Spin this one.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
IMO Shannon wasnt neglected to the extent that Madeleine was but it is still neglect..Karen Matthews is where she ought to be..but I agree why has the same charge not been brought to the McC’s
April 9th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
If Karen knew where Shannon was (i.e with a person known to her) - then surely there is no neglect. How Shannon was treated during that period is a different matter.
April 9th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I think we will never know the details of what might have happened to Shannon during the time she was in the flat. The magistrates do know that of course.
……………………….she wilfully neglected or abandoned Shannon in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering to her or injury to her health………………
They also know that they have to keep Karen safe from the baying mob that is already hanging around waiting for her. They have threatened to kill her if she goes back.
The lawlessness scares me.
April 9th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
“The magistrates do know that of course.”
Not until the evidence is presented and proved.
April 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Stan - is she being charged with neglect because of her general parenting or because she left Shannon with someone for weeks on end?
April 9th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Mibees cos one case is under English law and another case is under Portuguese law, now that wasn’t hard to figureout, but there again mibees aye mibees naw!
April 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
well there you go, one law for the poor and voiceless plebs and another for those that can afford the best…
April 9th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
noseycow…. the quote I used is from Anorak and taken from the actual cahrges.
……………………….she wilfully neglected or abandoned Shannon in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering to her or injury to her health………………
DCB…. charges by CPS are enough to hold someone. If not then mass murderers would also be bailed. Its the seriousness of the charges, not innocence or guilt isn’t it?
April 9th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Gotta say I smelt a smelly rat when I heard that Shannon had been found and Karen wasn’t with her immediately after she’d been found. This is normally the first course of action the police take when a missing child is found, they keep the mother with that child at all possible times!
There’s still numerous questions to be answered! My very first question is what was the motive behind this? Hopes of millions? Quite possibly! Just goes to show that raising money for ANY missing child can become quite a dangerous hobby …. it can cause those who don’t have money to be very tempted to become copycats!
You’ve also got to wonder how much Shannon was told of the plan-in-progress! Was she promised a new barbie doll if she behaved herself and stayed missing like she was supposed to?
Very sad to use one’s own children to achieve selfish things
April 9th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Re my comment above, I was not in any way implying anything untoward about the McCanns or their ‘Find Madeleine Fund’, but pointing out that the huge success of the fund raising of this might tempt people to try to fake an abduction in order to make money. Julie’s post puts it well.
April 9th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Oh and I agree regarding the neglect of Madelaine, but I do think Shannon was, in her life time neglected considerably more than her. Poor little thing
April 9th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Shannon didn’t ask for help during her imprisonment, or call out through a window. The chap who had her was seen going out. Wonder if the neighbor was in on it too. One neighbor said she rang the police though. Must have been claustrophobic being in a drawer though and extremely worrying for a child. IMO the McCanns and Matthew are guilty of child neglect. One lot left a child with babies alone. The other left a child with a person of dubious background. Also Karen had the chap in the house, look what he has been into.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I find the whole Karen Matthews thing incredibly sad.
Karen’s biggest crime was to emulate her ‘betters’ - the evil McCanns. She was naive to think she had as good a of chance of getting away with it as Kate and Gerry. Kate and Gerry have, imho, a better than average chance the McCanns are going to get away with their crimes.
If i had to choose to have lived Shannon’s or Madeleine’s lives (taking out the fact that one is most likely dead) I would rather have been Shannon. Shannon, at least, shared her situation with her other half-brothers and sisters as the child of a multiple daddyer and with probably half her school class. Karen might be a liar but she doesnt seem like a phony.
Madeleine, sadly, had phonies for parents who didn’t really love her. -Look how they left the remaining children behind when they flew to meet the pope, et al. or how the children were put it the play area (what was it called?) while they played tennis, or how the children were left alone at night (and possibly drugged), or how you got the feeling that they thought Madeleine was just a difficult little girl. I feel for the life of Madeleine, and her loneliness in the home of people who didn’t love her.
this is all my opinion but the McCanns make my skin boil.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:29 am
#16. And you accuse the McCann’s spokesman of being a spin meister? Puh-leeze.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:34 am
16 i-dont-believe-them
Agree! You know, as has been said the McCanns have set a dangerous precedent and “dim wits” like the Matthews + clan (IMO) thought they could get away with it. I too, feel for the family, but Shannon hopefully will be placed in a good foster situation with her siblings. Madeleine on the other hand had nasty parents, capable of anything (IMO). Yes, they flew off to meet the pope, and where did they leave the children! Kids that young may have responded to the Pontiff’s questioning too, and the McCanns would not have wanted that. Bet the Vatican have their own thoughts on the matter. being a smart chap the Pope could have said something to the twins regarding Madeleine, and they could have said the truth! Madeleine looked a lonely, sad child and she may have had health problems, too much for proud self centered people. Yes, Kate makes my blood boil the way she has cuddle cat all the time and I feel IMO it is a sham.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I think its very sad that everyone protests their concern for Shannon Matthews and also (albeit with a sting in the tail) her mother but still won’t let them have a thread to themselves.
Still it has to be used to go on and on about the McCanns. There are enough threads about them. Why not give little Shannon Matthews some thought and individuality?
April 10th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I think the best course of action for Shannon would be to get her out of the country and her siblings, and start a new life (keeping their names mindyou) with a foster family. Shannon will blossum and stands a good chance of a good life. If she stays in UK she has the extended family, obviously, to contend with.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
16 and 18
I’ve seldom heard such self righteous twaddle.
Who the hell are you to state that they never loved their daughter, or that M was lonely and sad? What do you know about the family and their past life, before this blew up out of all proportion, other than what is in the public domain.
I’m no fan of theirs or their apparent lack of childcare skills, but such blatant statement of supposition as fact can’t do anyone any good: It certainly shows you in a less than perfect light.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
21 Mic
I so totally agree. I just can’t believe that anyone is really saying that Shannon’s life was better than Madeleine’s. How could anyone know? In my opinion, poor Shannon probably had nine years of hell and could be damaged for life. There was no indication that Shannon wished to see her siblings which I think is very odd. The police apparently just indicated that she wanted to be with her pussy cat! Not her mum or her sibs…. how very sad. Not much love there, I would say.
It’s clear that many people just want to get at the McCs because they think they are from a higher class (can’t see it myself but they are certainly more intelligent). Sad, sad world. So many people who are in fluenced infinitely more by their own hand-ups and chips on the shoulder than by real concern for the pain that so many children are forced to endure.
If Shannon had such a good life with her “loving” mum, why didn’t she want to go home? But she didn’t. She very definitely didn’t. She wanted OUT. She is a child and deserves protection. Her mother is an adult - and is probably where she should be. People’s comments are sickening me.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
22 My post
I ment HANG-UPs, not hand-ups of course!