[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

I can see where everyone is coming from but it always amazes me how these people who are what they say, not particularly educated so or are not the sharpest tool in the box, (as Pyramid* pointed out though), can do an amazing acress type performance as the stricken,panicking Mother all through the time this went on with Shannon supposedly missing.
The main person playing that part in all the days this went on was Karen Matthews, she knew where her Daughter was, she knew her daughter was being kept imprisoned because no way could Shannon ever be risked being seen in public, she even allowed The Sun to put up a reward for the finding of her Daughter, offered at £20,000 then increased to £50,000.
I can totally understand The Sun wanting to get their own back on this one, she even fooled them with her performance.I cannot stand The Sun by the way.

I hate vigilante action too, however the law has to be made to start giving out sentences that mean something to protect children particularly.
How could Shannon fight back? How could she have a chance to make a run for it?

After being doped up and kept prisoner by people she should have been able to trust completely.

If this had been a film, Karen Matthews would have been nominated for an oscar for her performance all through it, she has never once expressed any remorse for what she allowed to be done to her own little Daughter.
The sentence was way too short, she did near a year on remand, then got 8 years,she got out in less than 4, what message does that send out.

I can understand people saying she has served her time and it comes from people I respect the views of massively on here but for this crime, to me anyway, she has not even done half of it let alone served the right time for what she allowed to be done to Shannon.
As I say, I would have sent her down for around 15 years for this,no early release either,that would be for the lies, the role she had in allowing Shannon to be 'kidnapped' for not making sure Shannon was really safe,that no drug of any kind being forced on her,
For misleading the media, the Police, her friends and neighbours and indeed the whole Country,accepting appeals for money to help find Shannon etc;where does this list end? Lord knows.

No wonder some people are still angry, the anger though is because even worse than allowing and being involved in a child being kidnapped and inprisoned like Shannon was,which was a pretty rotten enough crime to commit anyway but for any Mother to allow that to happen to her own little Daughter heaps loads more coals onto that fire,

This woman has not served anywhere near enough time for her role in this crime, thankfully Shannon got away from it with her life still, but look at the people involved that Shannon should have been able to run to in order to feel safe and be protected, not get this done to her.
Who though, could have stopped it right at the very start or a day or so later to ease that Childs suffering, none other than the childs Mother Karen Matthews but she didn't and neither has she expressed remorse for this vile act either.
As a Mother she was responsible for Shannon, as part of this crime, she is the main one responsible for it being played out for so long and for all the suffering and imprisonment her child went though.
Sorry, but for me, less than 4 years in prison from an 8 year sentence doesn't come anywhere near close to serving her time for this rotten crime against a totally 'defenceless' child,a simple word but the main one here,'defenceless'.

Also what this Mother also achieved was that in cases like this in the future, the Parents and families of children missing will likely come under even greater scrutiny and suspicion themselves,which could hold up vital time in finding children missing.
This woman has tarnished Motherhood and is not fit to be a Mother,she is not fit to be around any child for that matter and if people think she can be then some other Mothers are rightly going to be furious at that.

The position Karen Matthews finds herself in can only have the blame for it laid at the door of one person and that is Karen Matthews herself.
Only she could have stopped this ever happening in the first place and being the child's Mother, the idea of it should never have even been considered by her, even for a second.
Less than 4 years served from an 8 year sentence for all the crimes against Shannon and trying to pervert the cause of justice too,ridiculous.
They may as well have given her a pat on the head and a sugar lump, to me she got off very lightly indeed.

Just to pick up on the point about The Sun and those who are saying rags like 'The Sun' etc are what leads to people requiring new identities etc.

No it is not. It it the unjustness of the sentence that causes that - and the resultant public outcry - it is the only way the public can voice their displeasure at those who pass the sentences. The Sun (and whatever other 'paper' - whether broadsheet or rag top) - they report on the news. This was (and now is) news.

It might not be the type of news we all agree with - but it's news regardless. Given that the Sun DID put up a hefty amount of money - the whole reason for the disgusting act to start off with - I see nothing wrong with them reporting on her release. Why should they not? She should be afforded no more privacy than any other released prisoner - regardless.

You do the crime, you do the time. Well, she in fact only did half the time that she was sentenced to on the inside: let her enjoy the remainder of 'her time' on the outside.

One more point - amazing to see how refreshed and trouble free she looks in comparison to all the previous photos shown of her - during Shannon's disappearance and all the photos that were available of her days 'pre Shannon's disappearance'. Prison hasn't exactly been a rigour for her by the looks of things. She's not aged beyond her years, she doesn't look ragged, she doesn't look stress, worried.

Yep, looks like Prison really had a detrimental affect on her physical healthy for starters (sarcasm there in case it was missed).... she looks far better than ever she did and though she's benefitted from a good long, all expenses paid, all inclusive holiday.

Oh wait......