Shannon Matthews trial Day 10: Donovan scared of Karen

Nov 25 2008 By Andrew Jackson

A MAN accused of kidnapping Shannon Matthews told a jury today he was "scared" of the youngster’s mother.

Michael Donovan began giving evidence today at his trial at Leeds Crown Court, where he and Shannon’s mother Karen Matthews, 33, deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

His barrister Alan Conrad QC asked him: "How do you feel towards Karen? Do you like her?"

He replied: "No."

Asked why, he went on: "I’m scared of her. She kept threatening me."

Donovan, 40, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, went into the witness box the day after the trial was halted after he received treatment for injuries he received in a prison attack.

Today, within minutes of him going into the witness box, he had to be asked repeatedly to speak louder by the judge, Mr Justice McCombe.

The charges relate to the 24-day disappearance of Shannon in February and March, when the little girl was nine.