Police have been granted more time to question a man over the alleged abduction of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews. So says the Sunday Metro.Michael Donovan, formerly known as Paul Drake, will continue to be interviewed over the schoolgirl's 24-day disappearance. Shannon was discovered in the base of a divan bed at the 39-year-old's flat in the Batley Carr area of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on Friday.
On Saturday night Donovan, the uncle of Shannon's stepfather Craig Meehan, appeared before magistrates who granted detectives the warrant of further detention.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said specially-trained officers would continue to speak to Shannon as part of the investigation. Shannon has been made the subject of an emergency police protection order, which will be in place "as long as is necessary", police said.
The schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews, 32, and her partner Mr Meehan, 22, arrived back at their home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury, on Saturday night and were met by cheering friends and family at their door.
The Reverend Kathy Robertson, of the Dewsbury Team Parish, said the pair were looking forward to having their daughter back home.
"They are really good and really relieved that Shannon has been found alive and well," she said after visiting their home. "They are looking forward to having her in their own home."
The Reverend said the atmosphere in the house was one of "anticipation", adding: "Anyone in that situation would just want to take their child in their arms again."
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said specially-trained officers would continue to speak to Shannon as part of the investigation. Shannon has been made the subject of an emergency police protection order, which will be in place "as long as is necessary", police said.
The schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews, 32, and her partner Mr Meehan, 22, arrived back at their home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury, on Saturday night and were met by cheering friends and family at their door.
The Reverend Kathy Robertson, of the Dewsbury Team Parish, said the pair were looking forward to having their daughter back home.
"They are really good and really relieved that Shannon has been found alive and well," she said after visiting their home. "They are looking forward to having her in their own home."
The Reverend said the atmosphere in the house was one of "anticipation", adding: "Anyone in that situation would just want to take their child in their arms again."
Also just discovered Michael Donovan, the abductor formerly known as Paul Drake, was taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up before being taken into police custody? His "I'm ill, please don't hurt me" cries were checked out and he was found to be not wanting.
Meanwhile, the future of the Shannon will be discussed by social services bosses later this week. She has been made the subject of an emergency protection order and is likely to be placed on the Child Protection Register for at least two years so says The Times website
A neighbour who had spoken to Shannon's mother has confirmed that she said that she had not been allowed to cuddle or communicate with her daughter but had been called in by police to identify her. She had seen Shannon through a two-way mirror and the girl was not aware her mother was there.
Karen Matthews 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.” However, social workers may now decide to place her away from what is considered such a 'dysfunctional family'.
Female officers, a child psychologist and a social worker, will spend time gently talking to Shannon in an interview suite designed to look like a classroom. Everything will be taped/videod to spare her from further trauma or having to give evidence in court at a later date. Much of 'video' is to be viewed while she is being interviewed through a two way mirror by police officers to gain a timeline and find out where she was kept and how long she was at the flat.
Paul Drake, 39, changed his name by deed poll to Michael Donovan, and it is believed he dressed Shannon in the clothes of his own daughters. Neighbours said that Shannon looked “well dressed and cared for” when she was carried out by a detective and laughter was heard from generating from the flat.
The Times reports that Drake had lived in the flat for four years and had become withdrawn, "scruffy" and "weird" after his wife Susan was granted sole custody of their two girls, A, 12, and B, 10. His sister Alice Meehan, 49, claimed that he had abducted a child before – his own daughter.
"We think he’s done this because he lost his own children three years ago after a bitter split from his wife . . . He had custody of the kids but was eventually deemed unfit because he was not looking after them properly. He now no longer sees his daughters. This killed him."
She also told how Drake was arrested in 2004 when, affected by his children being taken away, he took his older daughter 'A' out of school when she was nine and off to Blackpool.
"The police tracked him down at a hotel and brought him back. He spent the night in a cell and was then told he should never make contact with his children," his sister said.
"As far as I’m aware there was never any criminal conviction. I’m sure there’s no way he would have hurt her. He only took Shannon because he was missing his kids".
"We think he’s done this because he lost his own children three years ago after a bitter split from his wife . . . He had custody of the kids but was eventually deemed unfit because he was not looking after them properly. He now no longer sees his daughters. This killed him."
She also told how Drake was arrested in 2004 when, affected by his children being taken away, he took his older daughter 'A' out of school when she was nine and off to Blackpool.
"The police tracked him down at a hotel and brought him back. He spent the night in a cell and was then told he should never make contact with his children," his sister said.
"As far as I’m aware there was never any criminal conviction. I’m sure there’s no way he would have hurt her. He only took Shannon because he was missing his kids".
The family say they never understood why Drake, who claimed disability allowance for mental issues, changed his name as he would not reveal why. His sister added: "Our dad kept asking him until his dying day, last November, but he would never say why. Dad always called him Paul."
Caroline Meehan, the sister of Karen Matthews’s boyfriend, said: "When they said the address on the television where Shannon had been found, we just knew it was him.
"He hadn’t been in touch for the whole time that Shannon’s been missing and even though he keeps himself to himself it seemed strange. We know he was on the list for the police to go and see."
Stephen Bold, 38, who had an on-off relationship with Drake’s former wife, said he used to lo
ok after 'A' when she was a baby. He said: "wasn’t that bothered about his own kids and didn’t seem to want them. I offered to take 'A' because I love kids."Yesterday a police forensic team removed a computer and other items from the flat. Drake had still not been formally interviewed by detectives yesterday afternoon. Police sources said his mental state was being “assessed”. He spent Friday night in hospital.
West Yorkshire Police Statement today on the Yorkshire and Humber MEP's complaint that Shannon should had been found earlier:
Following comments by an MEP Edward McMcMillan-Scott currently circulating in the media, that West Yorkshire Police could have quickly found Shannon Matthews through use of an Amber Alert Scheme we would like to make it clear that UK Police Forces currently have available the Child Rescue Alert Scheme.
This is designed for use in potential child abductions where a vehicle or partial vehicle details are known. As such its use would have been wholly inappropriate in this case and the suggestion it could have somehow speeded up Shannons recovery is totally inaccurate.
This is designed for use in potential child abductions where a vehicle or partial vehicle details are known. As such its use would have been wholly inappropriate in this case and the suggestion it could have somehow speeded up Shannons recovery is totally inaccurate.
Photo with thanks to the BBC
Information and interviews taken from The Times ,The Metro and West Yorkshire Police Website.
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