Mick Donovan charged with kidnapping nine-year-old Shannon Matthews Mick Donovan was last night charged with kidnapping and falsely imprisoning nine-year-old Shannon Matthews.
Police had arrested Donovan - the 39-year-old uncle of Shannon's stepdad - on Friday.
The former computer programmer was due before Dewsbury magistrates this morning to be remanded in custody.
Last night West Yorkshire Crown Prosecution Service spokesman Peter Mann said: "The CPS has been working very closely with the police since the arrest of Michael Donovan, also known as Paul Drake, since Friday.
"Having carefully considered all the evidence we have made the decision that there is sufficient evidence to authorise him to be charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment."
Shannon disappeared walking home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorks, after a swim class on February 19. She was found a mile away on Friday, 24 days later.
Yesterday police chief Sir Norman Bettison said Shannon would still not be going home just yet to mum Karen Matthews, 32, and stepdad Craig Meehan, 22.
He added: "Shannon is safe.
She's well. She's in the place where we think that she's safest at the moment."
Karen said: "I find it very hard because I can't hold her or cuddle her." Craig said: "I'll be glad when we're back to normal."
Sir Norman praised the two police officers who found Shannon.
Detectives Paul Kettlewell and Nick Townsend refused to leave when they got no answer at a flat where neighbours said they could hear a child's footsteps. They broke down the door and discovered Shannon.
Sir Norman said: "I think it is amazing and a question of pride that they started to make inquiries of neighbours.
"Given that this was the 700th action they had undertaken since the start of the investigation."
Shannon is being questioned in 10 to 15 minute bursts. A specialist team is looking after her.
Sir Norman said: "Talking to a nine-year-old isn't a question of sitting them down with a pen and piece of paper and getting that information."
A huge hunt was launched after Shannon vanished with 6,000 people quizzed and 3,000 homes searched.
Sir Norman said people who claimed police, many of whom worked for 24 days without time off, could have found Shannon sooner were "fantasists".
He said of the investigation: "It's been phenomenal and unprecedented and it's been entirely professional.
"It's painstaking methodical work." He said of his officers: "They are special people, extraordinary people doing an extraordinary job."
Mirror
