Tearful mum denies lying over abduction

Nov 29 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE mother of Shannon Matthews denied telling “blatant lies” over the kidnapping of the young girl.

Karen Matthews stepped into the witness box at Leeds Crown Court for a second day and began sobbing almost immediately as she was cross-examined by Alan Conrad QC, who is representing her co-accused Michael Donovan.

Mr Conrad said to her: “You’re telling blatant lies to this jury, aren’t you?”

She replied: “No”.

Matthews wiped away more tears as Mr Conrad went in detail through interviews she gave the police after she was arrested over the disappearance of her daughter in February.

Matthews, 33, and Donovan, 40, are accused of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

Both deny the charges.