Etsy flogging Mother’s Day cards that mock kidnapped schoolgirl Shannon Matthews and birthday cards poking fun at Katie Price’s disabled son Harvey
SICK greetings cards mocking Katie Price's disabled son Harvey and kidnapped Shannon Matthews have been sold by online shopping giant Etsy.
Child abuse campaigners today blasted "vile" Mother's Day cards featuring hated Karen Matthews wearing an appeal T-shirt for her missing daughter.
It includes the message: “Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks for never hiding me under a bed.”
Another card from the same seller features a cruel cartoon of Harvey Price, who has a range of disabilities including blindness and autism.
The message — mocking the teen's reported swearing — reads: “Happy birthday you c***.”
Other designs cash in on the sickening abuse by BBC predator Jimmy Savile and Austrian cellar monster Josef Fritzl, who kept his daughter as a sex slave for 24 years.
Today the NSPCC children's charity demanded the sick taunts be pulled after being alerted by The Sun.
A spokesman said: “Using the trauma of child abuse to sell these vile greetings cards is thoughtless and irresponsible.
“We would urge this seller to reconsider and to remove these cards from sale immediately.”
Married dad of one Samuel Hague, 29, flogs the cards for £2.99 each, plus £1 postage, through his online shop on Etsy, one of Britain's most popular shopping sites.
One mum said on Twitter she was "crying" with laughter after her teenage son sent her the Shannon card yesterday.
But the illustrator, of South Normanton, Derbys, was panned by horrified parents on Facebook.
Siobhan Mcknight wrote: “Think it's terrible that this we girl has to grow up and see s*** like this all the time ... terrible constant reminder that she has a monster for a mother.”
Hannah Cooke said: “It’s sick. Who would find this s*** funny?”
Hague bragged in response: “Well judging by the amount of cards I’ve sold I’d say quite a lot of people find it hilarious."
Hannah replied: "Good for you making money out of that poor girl. Scumbag."
After seeing his design was causing offence online, shameless Hague hijacked a post to demand recognition.
He wrote: “Hey guys, thanks for sharing this. If you could credit me that would be awesome. Share the hate.”
He then shared the post with friends and appeared to lap up the attention, writing: “The comments,” accompanied by a laughing emoji.
Hague denied he was courting controversy to make money.
He told The Sun Online: "I choose to express myself through comedy and art.
"That resonates with some people but will offend others."
He added: "I obviously do not condone any acts of child abuse whatsoever.
"It's better to find humour in despicable acts and remember what happened rather than stick your head in the sand and forget about it."
The Harvey card was taken down from the Etsy website today following The Sun Online's enquiries.
Hague said it was because it contains the C-word and he will be allowed to relist it with the word obscured in the display picture.
Etsy, which does not check items' suitability before sellers post them online, said it is investigating the listings.
It said: “Etsy does not allow items or listings that promote, support or glorify acts of violence or harm towards self or others.
“We also do not condone or accept profiting off of tragedy.
“We do allow some mature content, including mature language, as long as the items are properly listed as such, and we allow a wide range of items that have artistic, educational, and historical value.”
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Shannon, then aged nine, was the victim in a fake kidnap plot by her own family in 2008.
The missing schoolgirl was the focus of a £2million police search and massive media campaign.
In fact she had been hidden by her mother Karen Matthews and an accomplice in the hope of pocketing a £50,000 reward. Cops found her drugged and tied up under a bed.
Yesterday her wicked mother, freed after half her eight-year jail term, cut a lonely figure during a Mother’s Day stroll wrapped up in a hat and scarf.
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