A new BBC drama series which aired for the second and final time tonight Tuesday had examined the 2008 real-life hoax abduction of Shannon Matthews by her mother Karen.
The Moorside, named after the estate in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, where the nine-year-old lived, focusses on the friendship between Karen Matthews and Julie Bushby, who stood by the now-shamed woman throughout her trial.
Karen Matthews, then 32, was branded “the most hated mum in Britain” and “Mother Of Pure Evil” and after it was discovered that she had conspired with Michael Donovan, her then-boyfriend’s uncle, in order to pocket the £50,000 reward.
The Moorside features Game of Thrones star Gemma Whelan as Karen Matthews and Funny Girl star Sheridan Smith as Julie Bushby.
What happened to Shannon Matthews?
Shannon was reported missing on the evening of 19 February 2008 after she failed to return from a school swimming trip.
In less than 24 hours, more than 200 officers from West Yorkshire Police were involved in the search.
Hundreds of local volunteers, coordinated by Bushby, also took part in the search.
Julie Bushby is played by Sheridan Smith
Shannon’s mother, who is now in her early forties, made a number of emotional appeals for her daughter’s return.
The story captivated the national media - although some drew comparisons with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, saying it received more attention than the Matthews case. In his Guardian Media blog, Roy Greenslade suggested that class may have come into this.
Gemma Whelan plays Shannon’s mother Karen Matthews
The Sun, however, offered a reward of £20,000 for information which would lead to Shannon’s safe return. The figure later went up to £50,000.
Where was Shannon Matthews found and how long was she missing?
On 14 March - 24 days after she was reported missing - Shannon was found alive and hidden in the base of a divan bed at a house in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire.
Michael Donovan, the uncle of Karen Matthews’ partner, Craig Meehan, was arrested at the scene.
An elastic strap that knotted round a loft beam within Donovan’s flat had been tied round Shannon Matthews’ waist to restrict her movements.
What happened to Karen and Shannon next?
Her mother denied any involvement but Shannon was taken straight into care after her discovery.
Three days later, Karen Matthews was charged with child neglect and perverting the course of justice over her daughter’s disappearance.
She and Donovan went on trial, starting in September, and at the conclusion, both were found guilty of kidnapping, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice in December.
The plan had been to take Shannon, then release her, drive around the corner then “discover” her before claiming the £50,000 reward.
The court heard evidence from a forensic toxicologist that Shannon had been ingesting temazepam and travel sickness medication for a prolonged period. This suggested she was drugged.
In January 2009, both Matthews and Donovan were sentenced to eight years in prison.
Karen Matthews faced a huge public backlash:
Where is Karen Matthews today?
Karen Matthews was released in April 2012 after serving half her sentence.
She moved to a new home far away from Dewsbury and went on to claim she had become a Christian, according to the Daily Mirror.
It was reported that Matthews, whose diet of chocolate in prison left her with rotten teeth, struggled to find work and was living a frugal existence on benefits.
She was photographed by The Sun with a dramatically different look, having cut and dyed her hair, presumably to try to avoid attention.
Craig Meehan, Matthews’ boyfriend, was also found to be guilty of 11 offences of possessing indecent images of children. He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison but was released because he had spent longer than that on remand.
What happened to Michael Donovan?
Donovan was released in March 2012.
Is Shannon Matthews in care now?
After the trial, Shannon was taken into care.
She was given a new identity and now lives with a new family.
She is now 18 years of age.
Why has BBC drama The Moorside caused controversy?
Shannon’s grandparents have branded the show “sick and disgusting” and are concerned it will hurt the now-teenager, according to the Daily Mail.
The BBC has defended the show, insisting the drama is not told from Karen Matthews’ point of view, but instead about those involved in the search for her daughter.
A spokesperson for BBC said: “This drama is not focused on Shannon Matthews herself. Her abduction is not portrayed, nor are her experiences during the time she was missing.
“The drama tells the story of the women who led the campaign to find her.”
Despite this, Julie Bushby has praised Sheridan Smith for her portrayal of her, telling This Morning that they were “still mates”.
In the same interview, Natalie Murray, Karen Matthews’ neighbour at the time of Shannon’s disappearance, also praised the documentary.
She said: “They all did an amazing job. Sheridan - how she played Julie - it is scary how accurate it is.”
She also spoke of her suspicions at the time about Matthews, saying: “It started when she did the very first interview outside her house. I was there when the family liaison officer said not to do the interview. That it could put her child’s life at risk and Karen did the interview.
‘To me as a mum I thought ‘why would you do that, why would you put your child at risk?’
‘I went straight down and asked her and she said everybody told me to do it. I was angry that nobody would listen to me, that nobody was seeing her behaviour.”
The second edition of The Moorside airs on BBC One at 9pm Tuesday.