Shannon Matthews trial Day 15: Case 'fatally flawed'

Dec 2 2008 By Andrew Jackson

She went on: "You have not heard from the principal witness in this case, Shannon Matthews herself. The one person who can say if she went willingly and without force or favour, or unwillingly, pushed by Donovan into the back of the car, is Shannon Matthews.

"We ask you this. We ask you to remember this is a prosecution fatally flawed. Such a prosecution cannot be made good by a defendant who is flawed."

Mrs Oldham told the jury to "look carefully, analyse the evidence". She said there was no scientific evidence to connect her client with Lidgate Gardens.

Mrs Oldham described the idea that Matthews and Donovan were capable of controlling "the whole press circus" as "complete nonsense".

"They would be giving a lesson to the likes of Max Clifford if they were able to do that," she said. She added: "Beware fiction and fantasy. We say, on behalf of Karen Matthews, that is what you are dealing with in Michael Donovan."

Matthews, 33, and Donovan, 40, are accused of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice in connection with Shannon’s disappearance in February. Both deny the charges.