Karen Matthews pictured flat hunting and clutching bottle of champagne with paedophile fiancé
EVIL Karen Matthews has been spotted flat hunting while holding a bottle of champagne with her paedophile fiancé.
Matthews, who faked her own daughter's abduction, got engaged to Paul Saunders last Christmas.
The handyman, who has been in an on-off relationship with Matthews, has been helping her find a new place to live,
The shamed mum-of-seven was pictured clutching a bottle of high-end Moet & Chandon champagne as she viewed an upstairs flat.
The 44-year-old met Saunders after moving to a secret home in the South of England following her release.
It emerged Saunders was jailed in 2010 after admitting engaging in sexual activity with a child.
Since getting together with him, Matthews has cut ties with all her pals who disapprove of her new love.
They are understood to have met when he was doing repair work at the flat she was given at taxpayers’ expense.
A source told The Sun: “She is in love with him. Both of them have been walking round like teenagers."
Matthews notoriously helped to stage the abduction of her daughter Shannon, then nine.
After a massive search, Shannon was discovered by police under a bed at the home of Michael Donovan — the uncle of her mum’s boyfriend.
Most read in News
Matthews and Donovan had dreamt up the fake kidnap to try to claim a £50,000 reward for her daughter’s safe return.
She was jailed for eight years for the warped 2008 stunt in Dewsbury, West Yorks.
The vile mum was released with a new ID in April 2012 after serving half her sentence.
Kidnap lie timeline
February 19, 2008: Last confirmed sighting of Shannon outside school.
February 20: Police say more than 200 officers are searching for her.
March 1: Her mum Karen Matthews issues an emotional appeal.
March 12: The Sun increases its £20,000 reward to £50,000.
March 14: Shannon found hidden in the base of a divan bed at Michael Donovan’s flat.
December 4: Matthews and Donovan, uncle of her boyfriend Craig Meehan, left, found guilty of the vile trick.
January 28, 2009: Matthews and Donovan get eight years each.
April 2012: Matthews is freed and changes her name.