Craig Meehan, 22, of Moorside Road, appeared at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court for a pre-trial hearing in front of District Judge Jonathan Bennett.

Led into the courtroom in handcuffs, Meehan was flanked by two security guards throughout the 10-minute hearing. He was wearing a black football shirt and a blue and white sports jacket and only spoke to confirm his age, address and date of birth.

Meehan, a supermarket fishmonger and the former partner of Shannon's mother Karen Matthews, is charged with 11 specimen offences of possession of indecent images of children.

It is alleged that he possessed 140 indecent images of children graded at levels one to four - on a scale in which one is the least serious and five is the most serious.

They were allegedly found on one of two computers at the family home where he lived with Matthews, 32, for around five years.

Meehan has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

He was remanded in custody until his next court appearance, which will be on Wednesday.

Shannon went missing on February 19 and was discovered hidden in the base of a bed in a flat in Batley Carr after a 24-day search by police.

Meehan's uncle, Michael Donovan, 39, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, has been charged with Shannon's kidnap and imprisonment.

He will go on trial at Leeds Crown Court on November 11 alongside Matthews, who is charged with child neglect and perverting the course of justice.