Now they can live for themselves instead of in their mum’s shadow
Anonymity for Shannon Matthews & siblings welcomed by pal
SHADY PAST Matthews, left, with Julie in 2018
THE best pal of Karen Matthews has welcomed the awarding of lifelong anonymity to the kidnap-faker’s children.
Julie Bushby’s evidence helped jail Matthews, who staged the disappearance of her nine-year-old daughter, Shannon, in the hope of pocketing a reward for “finding” her.
And she says Shannon and her siblings can finally “stop living in their mum’s shadow” after the High Court this week granted them all permanent anonymity.
The order prevents their new names, addresses and jobs being published unless a court agrees.
They had all been protected by a reporting restriction but these were due to expire in September 2021.
Security worker Julie, played by Sheridan Smith in 2017 BBC1 series The Moorside, said: “It’s about time.
“Those kids need to try and have a normal life. It is 12 years ago now. Why should they pay for their mother’s crimes? I’m sure this will be a great relief to them all.
“Every time they see a picture of their mum they have to relive their ordeal. That must be terrible.
“Now they can live their lives for themselves instead of being in their mother’s shadow.”
Why should they pay for her crimes? This will be a great relief to them all
JULIE BUSHBY PRAISING DECISION BY HIGH COURT
SET FREE
Julie 50, from Dewsbury Moor, near Huddersfield, West Yorks, added: “What she did must have destroyed their trust.
“They need to be set free from the burden of their biological mother.”
Matthews, 45, has begun seeing an odd-job man, only to discover that he was a sex offender.
They met after he came to do repairs on her flat, got engaged and are in an on-off relationship.
Julie said: “That must have been awful for the children to find out about who she was dating. It’s like they can never forget what has happened to them.
“With this order, they can try and start a new life.”
Shannon vanished from Dewsbury in 2008. Police found her 24 days later at the Batley home of Michael Donovan, the uncle of Matthews’ then- partner Craig Meehan.
In court it emerged Shannon had been drugged during the kidnap and restrained with a strap whenever Donovan left the house.
Matthews and Donovan were jailed for eight years but served four.
She volunteers part-time in a charity shop after moving south and complains of being “lonely”.
Matthews previously told the Mirror she was not the only person involved in the kidnap and she fears her children will never forgive her.