Karen Matthews charged

Karen Matthews, the mother of nine-year-old Shannon, has been remanded in custody for a week after being charged with "repeatedly concealing information" from the police about her daughter's whereabouts.

In a short hearing before magistrates, Karen Matthews was also charged with wilfully neglecting and abandoning her daughter when Shannon went missing in February.

Our North of England correspondent Nick Martin reports from outside Dewsbury Magistrates court.

Arrests so far

The charges against Karen Matthews relate to her daughter's 24-day disappearance.

The nine-year-old failed to return home after a school swimming lesson in February.

She was found alive and well at a flat just a mile from her home following a huge police search.

Her mother is scheduled to appear before magistrates in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

She was arrested on Sunday night and was questioned by detectives at Wakefield police station.

Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Peter Mann said: "Having carefully considered all of the evidence provided in the file by West Yorkshire Police, we have decided that there is sufficient evidence and have authorised that Karen Matthews be charged with perverting the course of justice and child neglect.

"She is in the process of being charged and will appear before Dewsbury Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning. We will continue to keep this case under constant review."

Matthews is the fourth family member to be held in connection with the case.

Michael Donovan, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, was arrested on March 14, after Shannon was found in his flat following her disappearance on February 19.

He was later charged with Shannon's kidnap and false imprisonment and is remanded in custody awaiting trial at Leeds Crown Court on November 11.

The 39-year-old, formerly known as Paul Drake, is the uncle of Matthews' partner Craig Meehan.

Last week, Meehan's sister, Amanda Hyett, 25, who lives next door to Shannon's mother in Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, and his mother, Alice Meehan, 49, were both arrested in connection with the alleged abduction.

Mrs Hyett was questioned on suspicion of assisting an offender and Mrs Meehan on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The pair were released on bail pending further inquiries.

Meehan, 22, was also arrested last week after detectives investigating Shannon's disappearance allegedly found 140 poronographic images of children on two computers.

He appeared at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with 11 counts of possessing indecent images of children.

He was remanded in custody to appear again before the same court on Friday.

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