Shannon Matthews trial day 2 - Michael Donovan: Fantasist, weirdo and loner court told

Nov 12 2008 By Andrew Jackson

FROM an early age, Michael Donovan was "always telling stories and fantasising about being someone else", the jury in his trial was told today.

In a statement read to the court, his sister Maria Harper said Donovan, whose original name is Paul Drake, was the youngest of nine children - three men and six women.

Mrs Harper said the children had a "good and happy" childhood on an estate in Dewsbury but that Paul used to fight with his sister Jeanette, usually over pets.

She said they fought "like cat and dog because they were so close".

Mrs Harper said in her statement: "Even from an early age Paul was always telling stories and fantasising about being someone else."

She added that her mother "spoiled Paul because he was the baby of the family".

She said he went to a special school but when he was 16-years-old he ran away from home and did not come back.

Mrs Harper said she lived in the United States between the age of 18 and 21 and had no contact with her brother during that time.

She said she later made contact with him through their sister Jeanette and noted he was still "story telling and fantasising about everything and anything".

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