Article: 'WICKED'; 1.Karen Matthews in tears during a TV appeal 2.Sobbing: Karen Matthews on February 20 3.Distraught: Matthews and partner Craig Meehan on GMTV on March 6 4.Campaigning: Karen Matthews poses in the Shannon appeal T-shirt 5.Donovan: 'Threats'.

Byline: Chris Brooke, Sam Greenhill

SHANNON Matthews was drugged and tethered by a noose for 24 days in a plot devised by her mother to claim a [pounds sterling]50,000 reward, a court heard yesterday.

The nine-year-old was the innocent pawn in a 'dishonest and wicked' scheme carried out by mother-of-seven Karen Matthews and her partner's uncle Michael Donovan, it was alleged.

While a [pounds sterling]3.2million police hunt was under way, Matthews played the part of the griefstricken mother, 'conjuring up tears' in televised appeals for the girl's return. But detectives and the public helping in the search were tricked by Matthews who was ...

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