No bail for Shannon's alleged kidnapper

DEWSBURY, England, March 18 (UPI) -- The man accused of abducting 9-year-old Shannon Matthews was ordered held without bail after a brief appearance Tuesday in an English court.

Michael Donovan, 39, answered quietly when he was asked to confirm his name, address and date of birth, The Telegraph reported. A few people watched as he was driven from the Dewsbury magistrate's court and shouted at the prison van.

Another hearing in Leeds Crown Court is scheduled for March 26.

Donovan is the uncle of Shannon's stepfather. Police raided his apartment Friday, finding the girl, who had been missing for more than three weeks, concealed in a bed drawer.

Shannon is in the care of child protection services and her mother has only been able to see her briefly through a one-way mirror since she was found, The Telegraph said. Her mother and stepfather haven't objected to the arrangement, which police say is so she can be questioned by trained investigators.

More than 300 police officers were involved in the hunt for Shannon. It has been described as the largest police operation in Yorkshire since the Yorkshire Ripper, the newspaper said.