The making and subsequent airing of two-part drama The Moorside – based around the real-life fake kidnap of nine-year-old schoolgirl Shannon Matthews – has garnered significant attention and criticism.
However, there has been an unexpected response to the concluding episode – many viewers have expressed a certain degree of sympathy for Karen Matthews, the mum behind the plot.
As the story neared its conclusion, Karen confessed to her friends and the lead police investigator that she had orchestrated the disappearance.
She also explained why she had allowed the nation to think her little girl had vanished without trace when, in fact, she knew that Shannon was being held in the flat of her boyfriend’s uncle.
Since the shocking crime in 2008, Karen Matthews has been vilified in the tabloid press.
But, having watched this dramatic portrayal of those events, many viewers feel her image as ‘evil’ falls way short of the whole truth.
One viewer posted to Twitter: “If this is a true portrayal of Karen Matthews, she seemed quite child-like and naive. Equally tragic and disturbing.”
Some suspected that she may also, in fact, have learning disabilities.
One wrote: “If the portrayal is accurate, she’s clearly very damaged, child-like, vulnerable, learning difficulties.”
Another said: “I get that perhaps Karen has special needs, bit slow, naive and stupid.”
While this is not the case, the drama did highlight Karen’s traumatised childhood, during which she was sexually abused.
Mick Donovan, co-conspirator in the kidnap, does have learning difficulties.
Both were found guilty and sentenced to eight years in prison. Karen was released on licence on 2012 and is now reported to be hankering after a fresh start in Spain.