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| Missing Shannon 'drugged' in flat | Missing Shannon 'drugged' in flat |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews had been drugged and subdued in the flat where she was found, a court has heard. | Missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews had been drugged and subdued in the flat where she was found, a court has heard. |
| Shannon's mother, Karen Matthews, and Michael Donovan are on trial over the nine-year-old's disappearance in West Yorkshire in February this year. | Shannon's mother, Karen Matthews, and Michael Donovan are on trial over the nine-year-old's disappearance in West Yorkshire in February this year. |
| They deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. | They deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. |
| Leeds Crown Court heard the plan had been for Mr Donovan to eventually release Shannon and "find" her in a local market and claim reward money. | Leeds Crown Court heard the plan had been for Mr Donovan to eventually release Shannon and "find" her in a local market and claim reward money. |
| Prosecutor Julian Goose, QC, told the court Ms Matthews, 33, had raised the alarm about her daughter's disappearance on 19 February. | Prosecutor Julian Goose, QC, told the court Ms Matthews, 33, had raised the alarm about her daughter's disappearance on 19 February. |
| He said it was part of a "wicked and dishonest plan" to kidnap the girl by her mother and the man whose flat she was found in. | He said it was part of a "wicked and dishonest plan" to kidnap the girl by her mother and the man whose flat she was found in. |
| Ms Matthews was widely seen on television making impassioned pleas for her daughter's safe return - but all the time she knew exactly what had happened to the girl, the court heard. | Ms Matthews was widely seen on television making impassioned pleas for her daughter's safe return - but all the time she knew exactly what had happened to the girl, the court heard. |
| Mr Goose added that Mr Donovan kept Shannon "drugged, subdued and hidden from the public" and bought newspapers which described the extent of the investigation. | Mr Goose added that Mr Donovan kept Shannon "drugged, subdued and hidden from the public" and bought newspapers which described the extent of the investigation. |
| The court heard that their plan had been to claim the £50,000 reward money put up by the press for the youngster's return. | The court heard that their plan had been to claim the £50,000 reward money put up by the press for the youngster's return. |
| Mr Donovan later told police the plan was to release Shannon in Dewsbury market and for Donovan to "discover her". | Mr Donovan later told police the plan was to release Shannon in Dewsbury market and for Donovan to "discover her". |
| Ms Matthews, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, and Mr Donovan, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, deny the charges. | Ms Matthews, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, and Mr Donovan, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, deny the charges. |
| The disappearance of Shannon, now 10, became one of the highest-profile missing person inquiries ever seen in the UK. | The disappearance of Shannon, now 10, became one of the highest-profile missing person inquiries ever seen in the UK. |
| The prosecution said Karen Matthews took part in a "wicked" plan | The prosecution said Karen Matthews took part in a "wicked" plan |
| After tricking Shannon into his car on her way home from a school swimming trip, Mr Donovan kept her in his flat and watched as the search unfolded and the reward money climbed, Mr Goose told the jury. | After tricking Shannon into his car on her way home from a school swimming trip, Mr Donovan kept her in his flat and watched as the search unfolded and the reward money climbed, Mr Goose told the jury. |
| As the days went by more and more police were drafted in to the search which became the biggest-ever conducted by West Yorkshire Police. | As the days went by more and more police were drafted in to the search which became the biggest-ever conducted by West Yorkshire Police. |
| "They were responding to Karen Matthew's wicked and dishonest lie," he added. | "They were responding to Karen Matthew's wicked and dishonest lie," he added. |
| The court heard the cost of the search to the police was almost £3.2m. | The court heard the cost of the search to the police was almost £3.2m. |
| At its height, the search involved more than 300 police officers and even more members of the public. | At its height, the search involved more than 300 police officers and even more members of the public. |
| Within a half-mile radius of where Shannon was last seen, 1,800 premises were searched and extensive house-to-house inquiries were conducted at many more. | Within a half-mile radius of where Shannon was last seen, 1,800 premises were searched and extensive house-to-house inquiries were conducted at many more. |
| Three-quarters of all the UK's specially-trained police dogs were brought in to assist in the search. | Three-quarters of all the UK's specially-trained police dogs were brought in to assist in the search. |
| More than 800 CCTV tapes and computer hard drives were examined and 41 other areas were searched outside the half-mile radius of Moorside Road, including operations in Cumbria and Nottinghamshire. | More than 800 CCTV tapes and computer hard drives were examined and 41 other areas were searched outside the half-mile radius of Moorside Road, including operations in Cumbria and Nottinghamshire. |
| "Karen Matthews even gave deliberately misleading lines of inquiry to the police," Mr Goose told the court. | "Karen Matthews even gave deliberately misleading lines of inquiry to the police," Mr Goose told the court. |
| Mr Goose said she even gave officers one address where she said she had been told by a clairvoyant that Shannon might be found. | Mr Goose said she even gave officers one address where she said she had been told by a clairvoyant that Shannon might be found. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |