so shannon matthews' mother is finally on trial

[wannaBe]

\link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7725218.stm\and it's quite shocking imo - they drugged her and tied her up

Also are these people just a bit dim? on 5 live tonight they were saying that the plan was for Michael donovan to drop Shannon in a market where he would then "find" her and be able to claim the reward money. Did they really think that a reward would be payable to a member of the family?

How on earth did they think they were going to get their hands on the reward money?

And hopefully, the 2 of them get a 'nice' treatment in prison....

but seriously though, does no one else wonder why they weren't rumbled sooner? like, on day 2 or something?
Or perhaps the police were suspicious but didn't have anythign concrete to go on?

jeez it's really twisted never mind thick, shocking..

yes, I agree with elliott - the fact that they managed to keep her concealed and spin the yarn for over 3 weeks is an astounding achievement, given the deep level of their imbecility.

You couldn't make this stuff up.

it's much more likely the police knew but had to play it as carefully as possible so she could be brought home alive

I didn't know all the children had been removed from the family - glad to hear that.

I hope Shannon is now living with the loveliest ever foster parents. Preferably in a mansion with ponies.

I am pretty sure the police knew something was up almost from day one, but the 'extended' family was massive (all her kids were from different fathers, all of whom had other kids, other partners, all of whom had other kids, other partners....) and included, apparently, many on the sex offenders register.

I suspected the familly from the start.
The mother looks evil and dirty. I know you can't go by looks alone but she seemed cold.
At the time my husband said "how could you think that?". I was right though.

Can't wait for the film to come out, as someone said you couldn't make it up

I think the police knew fairly early on but were waiting for them to trip themselves up hence the muted media coverage etc

I remember a heated debate on here (amongst other places) about the fact that the police were deemed to be taking less action than for other, perceived middle-class, cases. And it was suggested, to howls of derision, that perhaps they (the police) knew more than they could let on to the media. There was something odd about the case, certainly, although initially people couldn't put their finger on what it was. But by the time that documentary was broadcast, the rumblings were becoming much louder.

yes I do remember that now. At least they did find her alive.

perhaps there was suspicion towards the family initially, but the police could not make that public, in case the family panicked and did something to shannon?