Shannon mother still in custody

Shannon Matthews was missing for 24 days before being found

Karen Matthews has spent the night in police custody being questioned about her daughter Shannon's disappearance.

The 32-year-old was arrested on Sunday night in Dewsbury on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

There were suggestions that when Shannon disappeared, Ms Matthews may have known more than she told police.

Detectives, however, are not confirming if this is the case, and stressed perverting the course of justice could cover a wide range of actions.

The three-week search for Shannon ended when she was found hidden in the base of a bed in a flat less than a mile from her home, 24 days after she went missing.

Michael Donovan, 39, has been charged with abducting Shannon, who was found safe on 14 March.

Mr Donovan, of Lidgate Gardens, Dewsbury, was treated in hospital after committing what was described as "serious self-harm" while in jail awaiting trial for kidnap and false imprisonment.

Karen Matthews was arrested by detectives on Sunday night

Following treatment for what were believed to be cuts to his wrists, he was returned to Leeds prison where he is on remand.

A provisional trial date has been set for 11 November.

A Prison Service spokesperson would not confirm the details of the incident but said "a prisoner from Leeds was taken to outside hospital overnight following a case of serious self-harm".

"Staff responded to the incident promptly and with great professionalism and the prisoner has now been returned to HMP Leeds."

Mr Donovan, who was formerly known as Paul Drake, is the uncle of Shannon's stepfather Craig Meehan.

Two other women, 49-year-old Alice Meehan, the mother of Shannon's stepfather, and his sister, 25-year-old Amanda Hyett, were held on Friday.

Ms Hyett, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender while Ms Meehan was arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Both were released on police bail.

In a separate inquiry, Craig Meehan was remanded in custody by Dewsbury magistrates last Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.