Karen Matthews, who was jailed over the kidnap of her daughter, is planning a new life in a different location after her release in less than three weeks.
Matthews, 36, became a hate figure over the plot to abduct Shannon, then aged nine, to claim a £50,000 reward.
Her accomplice Michael Donovan, 44, is believed to have been released last week after serving half of his eight-year jail sentence for kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.
Mother-of-seven Matthews, who was also jailed for eight years after being convicted of the same charges, is due to be freed shortly before Easter.
Residents of her former estate in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, have made it clear she is not welcome back.
Julie Bushby, a neighbour and former chairman of the local residents’ association, said: ‘I know for a fact she is not coming back. As far as I’m aware she will head for a halfway house.’
She added: ‘Karen seems quite happy. I don’t think she realises what has actually happened. To my knowledge she has never said sorry or that she wishes she hadn’t done what she did.’
Miss Bushby said the estate simply wanted to forget Matthews. ‘We are getting on with our lives and we want it to stay that way,’ she said. ‘It is four years ago. We just don’t want it anymore.’
Matthews’s cousin Vicky Saunders, 32, said: ‘If she came back people would probably shout at her. I don’t think she would be safe.’
Matthews will be released automatically from Foston Hall Prison in Derbyshire on reaching the halfway point of her sentence.
She and Donovan caused a £3.2million police hunt when they kidnapped Shannon from her home in February 2008.
Shannon was found by police 24 days later in Donovan’s flat a mile away, hidden in a compartment under a bed.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2116873/New-life-plan-mother-jailed-kidnap-daughter-Shannon-prepares-release-weeks.html#ixzz1pXwsVjt3
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Matthews, 36, became a hate figure over the plot to abduct Shannon, then aged nine, to claim a £50,000 reward.
Her accomplice Michael Donovan, 44, is believed to have been released last week after serving half of his eight-year jail sentence for kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.
Release: Karen Matthews (left) is due to be released in less than three weeks after serving half of her eight year sentence for kidnapping her own daughter Shannon Matthews (right)
Residents of her former estate in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, have made it clear she is not welcome back.
Accomplice: Michael Donovan was found guilty along with Karen Matthews of kidnapping Karen's daughter, Shannon
She added: ‘Karen seems quite happy. I don’t think she realises what has actually happened. To my knowledge she has never said sorry or that she wishes she hadn’t done what she did.’
Miss Bushby said the estate simply wanted to forget Matthews. ‘We are getting on with our lives and we want it to stay that way,’ she said. ‘It is four years ago. We just don’t want it anymore.’
Matthews’s cousin Vicky Saunders, 32, said: ‘If she came back people would probably shout at her. I don’t think she would be safe.’
Matthews will be released automatically from Foston Hall Prison in Derbyshire on reaching the halfway point of her sentence.
She and Donovan caused a £3.2million police hunt when they kidnapped Shannon from her home in February 2008.
Matthews appeared before the media pretending to be distraught at her daughter’s disappearance and hundreds of local people helped in the search.
Shannon was found by police 24 days later in Donovan’s flat a mile away, hidden in a compartment under a bed.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2116873/New-life-plan-mother-jailed-kidnap-daughter-Shannon-prepares-release-weeks.html#ixzz1pXwsVjt3
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