Shannon sentence: Karen Matthews gets eight years

Jan 23 2009 By Andrew Jackson

Ms Oldham said Matthews had been isolated in prison because of how she had been portrayed.

The barrister said she has no visitors except for her lawyers.

"She has been effectively ostracised by everyone," she said.

Ms Oldham said reports prepared for the hearing showed Matthews had an IQ of 74, which she said was on the borderline range between "low average" and "extremely low".

The court heard the report said she had a limited attention span, low self esteem and "perceives she is not as important as most people and she’s a failure".

Ms Oldham said the report also said Matthews "would change from upset to giggly in a short period of time" when she was anxious.

She told the court her client had "effectively been demonised" by those who had given interviews to the media - both those who knew her and the police.

Ms Oldham also read short extracts from the social services file on the Matthews family.

Some of these comments from social workers related to how she cared for her eldest children when they were young.

One said: "Both are well cared for."

Another comment relating to Shannon in 2002 said Matthews showed "great affection" for her.

Ms Oldham said: ``What sort of mother is Karen Matthews? She may be an inadequate mother but she's a mother who has shown care, consideration and love for her children.''

The barrister told the court Shannon had been interviewed by police for nearly seven hours over five days.

She said the young girl told officers she had contact with other family members while she was at Donovan’s flat.

"She spoke of contact during the time she was with Michael Donovan at his flat with other family members," Ms Oldham said.

"My lord may come to the conclusion that others are involved and did not face the jury."

She added that Shannon had never mentioned being restrained by the strap.

Ms Oldham said Matthews found herself in a situation which got out of control.

"Events which possibly began with her wish to leave her partner rapidly gathered momentum at a speed which no -one could have anticipated," she said.

"This inadequate woman rapidly found herself in a situation beyond her control."

She described the kidnap plot as an "inadequate and botched" attempt to raise money by hiding Shannon.

Ms Oldham said the fact that Shannon was safe at all times put this crime in a "different league" to other cases of kidnap and false imprisonment in which violence was used.

Ms Oldham repeated her criticism of the police for describing her client as ``pure evil'' and told the judge: ``She is not Myra Hindley, she is not Rose West.''