Karen Matthews, Kidnap Mother Of Shannon 'To Be Released From Prison Today'

Karen Matthews, Kidnap Mother Of Shannon 'To Be Released From Prison Today'

Karen Matthews, the mother who kidnapped her own daughter to claim reward money, is set to be released from prison today.

The mother-of-seven was jailed for eight years after staging nine-year-old Shannon's disappearance in order to pocket £50,000.

Along with Michael Donovan, 40, Matthews was found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice after her daughter was discovered under a bed in Donovan's home. She had been tied up and drugged. It had taken police 24 days to find her in a hunt which cost £3.2million.

Scroll down for a gallery of images from the hunt for Shannon

According to ITV news Matthews is expected to be released from Foston Hall prison in Derbyshire after serving four years of her sentence.

It is thought she will start a new life, under supervision of the probation service, far from Dewsbury Moor in West Yorkshire, where she lived at the time of the staged abduction.

Matthews, who has reportedly lost three stone, has bragged to pals that a 'wealthy admirer' in Cyprus has been writing to her at Foston Hall prison in Derbyshire, telling her he would like to 'stroll along a beach' with her after seeing her photograph in newspapers.

A source told the Daily Mail: "She says Cyprus is perfect because she won't be known."

Close

What's Hot