ForumGarden

Stepfather remanded over child porn

Press Assoc. - Thursday, April 3 01:15 pmThe stepfather of kidnapped schoolgirl Shannon Matthews was remanded in custody when he appeared in court charged with possessing indecent images of children.



Craig Meehan, 22, appeared before magistrates in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, accused of 11 specimen offences of possession of indecent images of children.

Nine-year-old Shannon disappeared on February 19 and was discovered hidden in the base of a bed in a flat just one mile from her home in Dewsbury after a dramatic 24-day search by police.

Magistrate Wayne Perriman remanded Meehan in custody until April 11 when he will appear again at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court.

The court was told Meehan faced 11 charges of possessing 140 indecent images of children graded at levels one to four.

The images were found on two computers recovered from Meehan's address in Dewsbury Moor, the court was told.

Meehan entered the dock in handcuffs flanked by two security guards. Wearing glasses and a black Manchester United shirt with the name Ronaldo on the back, Meehan spoke only to confirm his name, address and age.

He sat and looked straight ahead throughout the 10 minute hearing and showed no emotion as details of the charges were read out. He stood to listen to Mr Perriman as he was remanded into custody before being led away from the dock in handcuffs.

Shannon has been in the care of Social Services since she was discovered at a flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, on March 14.

Meehan's uncle, Michael Donovan, 39, who lived at the flat in Batley Carr, has been charged with her kidnap and imprisonment. His trial has been provisionally set for November 11 at Leeds Crown Court.

el guapo;825186 wrote: Stepfather remanded over child porn

Press Assoc. - Thursday, April 3 01:15 pmThe stepfather of kidnapped schoolgirl Shannon Matthews was remanded in custody when he appeared in court charged with possessing indecent images of children.



Craig Meehan, 22, appeared before magistrates in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, accused of 11 specimen offences of possession of indecent images of children.

Nine-year-old Shannon disappeared on February 19 and was discovered hidden in the base of a bed in a flat just one mile from her home in Dewsbury after a dramatic 24-day search by police.

Magistrate Wayne Perriman remanded Meehan in custody until April 11 when he will appear again at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court.

The court was told Meehan faced 11 charges of possessing 140 indecent images of children graded at levels one to four.

The images were found on two computers recovered from Meehan's address in Dewsbury Moor, the court was told.

Meehan entered the dock in handcuffs flanked by two security guards. Wearing glasses and a black Manchester United shirt with the name Ronaldo on the back, Meehan spoke only to confirm his name, address and age.

He sat and looked straight ahead throughout the 10 minute hearing and showed no emotion as details of the charges were read out. He stood to listen to Mr Perriman as he was remanded into custody before being led away from the dock in handcuffs.

Shannon has been in the care of Social Services since she was discovered at a flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, on March 14.

Meehan's uncle, Michael Donovan, 39, who lived at the flat in Batley Carr, has been charged with her kidnap and imprisonment. His trial has been provisionally set for November 11 at Leeds Crown Court.


Hang on! What am I missing here?

Pheasy;825195 wrote: Hang on! What am I missing here?


As Shannon is a minor and as he is not her parent or guardian he has no right to keep her separated from her parents without their knowledge and consent - especially knowing that there was a Police hunt going on trying to find her.

Unless it turns out the the mother did know where she was then he is likely to be found guilty. If it does turn out that Shannon was a willing participant trying to hide from her stepfather / parents and was threatening to run further it her uncle went to the Police then it is likely that the sentence will be nominal but he would still be guilty of the crime.

If he was, indeed, in a cleft stick, then you have to feel sorry for the poor sod and maybe wish that the law had some lattitude but the law is as written and mitigating circumstances only affect the sentence.