Karen Matthews' pervert ex-boyfriend 'attacked by mob outside safe house for second time in fortnight'
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Karen Matthews' ex-lover has been attacked outside his safe house for the second time in a fortnight, is has been reported.
Craig Meehan had nothing to do with the 2008 plot to kidnap Karen's daughter Shannon, but police found images of child sex abuse on his laptop during the investigation.
And the screening of BBC drama The Moorside has brought renewed attention to those portrayed in the drama.
Matthews, 41, was jailed for eight years for staging her daughter's kidnap with the aim of collecting a £50,000 reward.
Just days before the programme aired last week, the mum-of-seven - who is played by actress Gemma Whelan - had a pot of steaming mushy peas dumped over her head by a disgusted mum after she left a chippy .
(Photo: Daily Mirror)
(Photo: The People)
According to the Daily Star, a mob also tracked down Meehan and assaulted him this week.
Meehan served 20 weeks in jail in 2008 and has been in and out of hiding ever since.
A source told the Star: "Now that he’s had a thumping at one of the places he felt safe, he feels scared and he’s gone reclusive again."
(Photo: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror)
(Photo: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror)
Meanwhile, Karen Matthews is said to be considering leaving Britain to escape the public backlash.
It's been claimed she applied for a passport and is eyeing up a cleaning job on the Costa Blanca.
A source said: "She knows she can never avoid her past.
"With this programme on the telly she’s realised living abroad might be a better option for her."
(Photo: PA)
Matthews was living in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, when she hit headlines in 2008 after pretending her daughter Shannon, nine, had been kidnapped.
The BBC1 show, which concluded last night, reveals how Matthews sat back and allowed police and friends to organise search parties for Shannon for almost a month – knowing she was being held less than two miles away in the dingy flat of her partner’s uncle Michael Donovan.
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: Publicity pic)
Matthews was jailed for eight years after her plot was uncovered, but was released after serving just half her time.
Donovan, 48, also sentenced for eight years was released a few weeks before Matthews.