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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Accused 'pushed Shannon into car' | Accused 'pushed Shannon into car' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man accused of kidnapping Shannon Matthews pushed her into his car on the day she went missing, a lawyer claimed. | A man accused of kidnapping Shannon Matthews pushed her into his car on the day she went missing, a lawyer claimed. |
| Michael Donovan was being cross examined as he and Shannon's mother Karen Matthews, 33, deny several charges over the girl's disappearance. | Michael Donovan was being cross examined as he and Shannon's mother Karen Matthews, 33, deny several charges over the girl's disappearance. |
| Mr Donovan, 40, of Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, denied suggestions by Ms Matthews's lawyer at Leeds Crown Court that he forced the girl into his car. | Mr Donovan, 40, of Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, denied suggestions by Ms Matthews's lawyer at Leeds Crown Court that he forced the girl into his car. |
| The defendant insisted Shannon got into his car of her own free will. | The defendant insisted Shannon got into his car of her own free will. |
| Pushed in | |
| During Mr Donovan's cross-examination by Frances Oldham QC, the barrister said: "Yesterday, you told us, Shannon said this: 'Hi Mike, mum said you're taking me to the fair tonight'. | During Mr Donovan's cross-examination by Frances Oldham QC, the barrister said: "Yesterday, you told us, Shannon said this: 'Hi Mike, mum said you're taking me to the fair tonight'. |
| "You know Shannon Matthews never said that, did she?" | "You know Shannon Matthews never said that, did she?" |
| Mr Donovan said: "Yes, she did." | Mr Donovan said: "Yes, she did." |
| Ms Oldham went on: "What I suggest happened is you stopped and pushed her into your car." | Ms Oldham went on: "What I suggest happened is you stopped and pushed her into your car." |
| "No, I didn't do that," said Mr Donovan. | "No, I didn't do that," said Mr Donovan. |
| Mr Donovan denied any knowledge of a strap found in his loft which it is alleged was used to restrain Shannon. | |
| He said it was a "mystery" to him as he was unable to get into the loft. | |
| 'Plot mastermind' | |
| He also denied that he was the mastermind behind the kidnap plot. | |
| Ms Oldham said Mr Donovan planned the kidnap with his sister Alice Meehan and niece Amanda Hyett. | |
| He denied this but said he did not know if Craig Meehan - his nephew and Ms Matthews' partner - was involved. | |
| Ms Oldham continued: "You, Mr Donovan, and members of your family made this plan?" | |
| Donovan said: "No." | |
| The court has heard how Shannon, who was nine at the time, was found in Mr Donovan's flat 24 days after she went missing from her home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, in February. | The court has heard how Shannon, who was nine at the time, was found in Mr Donovan's flat 24 days after she went missing from her home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, in February. |
| The prosecution allege Mr Donovan kept her drugged and imprisoned in his flat as part of a plan he and Ms Matthews had to claim £50,000 in reward money. | The prosecution allege Mr Donovan kept her drugged and imprisoned in his flat as part of a plan he and Ms Matthews had to claim £50,000 in reward money. |
| He denied he had written a list of rules found in his flat, but said he had been given the rules by his co-accused, Karen Matthews. | |
| Mr Donovan and Ms Matthews deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. | Mr Donovan and Ms Matthews deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. |
| The trial continues. |