THE man accused of kidnapping Shannon Matthews told police that the schoolgirl's mother had offered him money and threatened him so he would look after the youngster, a court heard yesterday.
Michael Donovan told police he drove the nine-year-old girl to the supermarket and took her to local parks. He told Leeds Crown Court that she would sit in the back of his car with her coat on and its hood up. He also took her for a drive "t
o give her some fresh air", the jury heard.
Meanwhile, hundreds of police officers and members of the public were scouring the Dewsbury area searching for the youngster, in one of West Yorkshire Police's largest investigations ever.
The court heard that the youngster was unaware of the huge police search and media interest, as she would watch cartoons on the television.
Donovan, 40, told police: "During the time Shannon was with me, we stayed mostly in the house, although sometimes I would go out and buy clothes, food, toys, games and DVDs. She said I was kind and generous, not like her parents.
"I took her once when it was getting dark to Tesco supermarket in Batley and once to the Asda supermarket in Dewsbury and she would be sat in the back of the car in her pink coat with the hood up.
"On about three times, I took her to parks in Batley and Birstall and once, in the evening again, I took her for a ride in the car to give her a break from the house and get some fresh air."
She was also supplied with clothes and toys during her 24-day stay in Donovan's flat.
Donovan made the disclosures in police interviews after Shannon was found by officers in the bottom of a divan bed at his flat.
He and Shannon's mother, Karen Matthews, 33, deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.
Donovan told officers he was threatened by Matthews, who said she would set three "lads" on to him if he did not agree to take Shannon to his flat.
The court heard that Donovan told officers Matthews made the threat when the pair met at a café in Dewsbury town centre before Shannon vanished.
During the interviews, he told the police officers: "When I saw the news, I wanted to take her back home, but I was still frightened of Karen's threats to set men on me if I did." He told police that Matthews had phoned him and told him the reward money had reached £35,000, although he thought it had reached £25,000.
"She told me if it gets to £50,000, she would ring me and I would know what to do," he said.
In interviews Matthews gave to police, she said that she had only asked Donovan to look after Shannon for a day to help her, as she was planning to leave her partner, Craig Meehan.
"It just went pear-shaped. It didn't go to plan," she told police officers, saying that she did not want Shannon to be hurt by her relationship breaking up.
The court heard that Matthews called police to say Shannon had vanished in order to cover her back if Meehan found out. She said she had then decided not to go through with leaving Meehan because he was violent towards her and she was frightened of him.
She said: "He punched doors. When he hasn't got a door to punch, he takes it out on me." Matthews also claimed Meehan forced her to have sex.
She also denied any interest in the reward money.
The trial was adjourned until Monday.
The full article contains 617 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
