Shannon Matthews trial Day 9:Delay for Donovan's surgery

Nov 24 2008 By Andrew Jackson

THE jury trying two people accused of kidnapping Shannon Matthews was told today that one of the defendants was too ill to attend court.

Michael Donovan, 40, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, was attacked in prison on November 13, Leeds Crown Court has heard.

Jurors were told the trial would not sit today due to Donovan having surgery on a fractured jaw at the weekend.

Mr Justice McCombe told the jury this morning that Donovan was in a "rather bad way".