POLICE have warned people not to administer vigilante justice over the Shannon Matthews inquiry. Officers have handed out leaflets in Dewsbury Moor, the home of Karen Matthews who appeared in court charged over her daughter's disappearance.

POLICE have warned people not to administer vigilante justice over the Shannon Matthews inquiry.

Officers have handed out leaflets in Dewsbury Moor, the home of Karen Matthews who appeared in court charged over her daughter's disappearance.

The pamphlet reads: “Please do not take the law into your own hands and leave police to do their job.

“It is important that the community does not jump to any conclusions about people who may be involved in this inquiry.”

Meanwhile, the house where Shannon, nine, lived with her mother has been boarded up.

A large number of the community arrived at Dewsbury Magistrates Court to see Ms Matthews remanded in custody until 16 April.

She faces charges of child neglect and perverting the course of justice in connection with the disappearance of Shannon on February 19 for 24 days.

Shannon went missing after leaving a local swimming pool with fellow pupils at Moorside Junior School.

During the search West Yorkshire Police described it as the largest missing person's hunt it had ever conducted.

Officers scoured waste land, ponds and searched homes and gardens for three weeks until the schoolgirl was discovered at a house in Ligate Gardens, Batley Carr.

Michael Donovan, 39, the man who lived at the house and the uncle of Ms Matthews' boyfriend Craig Meehan, was charged with kidnap and abduction. He is now awaiting trial.

Meanwhile Mr Meehan, 22, has been charged with possessing indecent images of children.

His sister, 25-year-old Amanda Hyett, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Mr Meehan's mother, 49-year-old Alice, was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.