Britain's 'worst mother' Karen Matthews is 'over the moon' Michael Donovan is ... trends now By Vivek Chaudhary Published: 12:35 BST, 18 April 2024 | Updated: 12:47 BST, 18 April 2024 Viewcomments This is Karen Matthews, pictured for the first time since the man she conspired with to help kidnap her daughter died. Wearing a long beige puffer coat and with her face hidden behind a pink scarf, Matthews emerged from her shabby flat and shouted 'Im innocent, leave me alone.' She stared intensely ahead as she rushed away with her hands in her pockets. Matthews, 47 became a household name exactly 15 years ago when her nine-year-old daughter Shannon went missing and a massive police investigation was launched to find her. Michael Donovan, 54, had kept the schoolgirl in his council flat for 24 days as part of a plot hatched by her mother. He died from throat cancer earlier this week. Karen Matthews was seen for the first time since kidnapper Michael Donovan's death Matthews' boyfriend Paul Saunders said she was 'over the moon' that Donovan had passed away Donovan died on Tuesday after collapsing at Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley, West Yorkshire Speaking on behalf of Matthews, her boyfriend Paul Saunders, a convicted paedophile told MailOnline: 'She's over the moon that Donovan is dead. It's the best news she's had in ages. 'Karen hopes that he rots in hell, we both do. Donovan is scum, we hope that he had a painful death.' He added: 'She was told about it in a phone call and she screamed with happiness. She was punching the air because this man deserved to die. Good riddance to him.' Despite Matthews' conviction, Saunders insisted: 'She's innocent. It was Donovan who did the crime and kidnapped Shannon. She had nothing to do with it. People have got this all wrong.' Saunders revealed that Matthews has not seen her daughter or her other six children for 'several years' and has no contact with the rest of her family. He said: 'Karen has been unfairly portrayed as Britain's worst mother. But it's total lies. Donovan is the only criminal here.' Shannon Matthews, aged nine when she was taken captive, has been granted a new identity and lifelong anonymity along with her six siblings Shannon Matthews' mother Karen Matthews plotted the fake kidnap in a bid to claim the £50,000 reward put up for offer in February 2009 She is seen here leaving Dewsbury police station in April 2008 after being charged Saunders was jailed for five years at Oxford Crown Court in 2010 for sexual activity with a child and sexual assault. He must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life. He and Matthews live together in the south of England and are believed to have been together for around five years. Shannon and her siblings have been granted new identities and lifelong anonymity following a High Court injunction in 2020 and are kept apart from mother Karen. Karen MatthewsCancer Share or comment on this article: Britain's 'worst mother' Karen Matthews is 'over the moon' Michael Donovan is dead - and still protests her innocence that daughter Shannon's kidnap had NOTHING to do with her All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility