Accused faced abduction charge

Michael Donovan was involved in a custody dispute over his two daughters and took one of them on a trip to Blackpool in November 2006, Leeds Crown Court heard. However, the charges were later dropped when the matter got to court.

The court was told he was married to a woman called Susan Bird, and they had two daughters. The court was told that the relationship broke down and ended in divorce.

Mr Donovan began giving evidence at his trial where he and Shannon's mother, Karen Matthews, 33, deny kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. Mr 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.

The charges relate to the 24-day disappearance of Shannon in February and March, when the little girl was nine. Mr Donovan told the court that, on February 19, he waited about 10 or 15 minutes before Shannon approached his car. He said: "I told Karen to bring Shannon down but she didn't. Shannon came down by herself, on her own."

He told the jury the little girl said to him: "My mum told me you were taking me to the fair tonight." He said he told Shannon they could not go to the fair because of the fog. Donovan told the jury: "I told her that we'll have to go back to my flat now."

His barrister Alan Conrad QC asked him what contact he had with Matthews during the 24 days Shannon was at his flat. He said his co-accused was supposed to ring at 10pm on the 19th but she did not. Donovan said she rang the following day, apparently on his sister Alice Meehan's phone.

Mr Donovan told the jury: "She told me 'Is everything all right? Is she settled down?' "I told her 'Yes'." Mr Donovan said he asked Matthews why Shannon had no clothes or toys. "She told me 'You've got money - go and buy them'."

Mr Donovan went on: "I asked if she wanted to speak to Shannon and she said 'No, I've got to keep it short, stick to the plan, Mike'." He said he then saw on the news that Shannon had been reported missing. He said this was about two days later. "I was really shocked and thought 'She's really gone through with it'."

Asked what he thought he should do next, he said: "I was too terrified."