Artichoke killer gran cleared in feud trial
A GRAN who killed her sister’s artichokes with weedkiller before writing a book about the bitter feud within her family has been cleared of making false allegations.
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Gillian Leeden, 66, of Broxbourne, Herts, privately published 150 copies of Behind The Artichokes which led to her being prosecuted under the Malicious Communications Act.
In the 213-page work, she accused her elder sisters of stealing from their late mother.
She denied charges of conveying information that was false and which she knew, or believed to be, false.
Leeden, a nurse, was convicted in 2014 of killing the plants belonging to her sister, Lyndsey Glassett, 72.
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I read it and curled up with embarrassment. I was mortified. There are so many lies
Judge Stephen Warner yesterday ruled at St Albans Crown Court she had no case to answer.
He said: “There is evidence [in the book] that the information was false. But there has to be evidence she knew or believed it was false.”
The judge made a restraining order banning Leeden from contacting her sisters indefinitely or spreading information in the book.
The court heard police had cautioned Leeden over an offensive blog about her sisters.
Her other sister, Deborah Lemay, 69, said their mother had cut Leeden out of her will and left everything to her nine grandchildren.
She said of the book: “I read it and curled up with embarrassment. I was mortified. There are so many lies.”
Lyndsey added: “When Gillian gets something in her head, she really believes it. She won’t let it go.”
The jury were told a police probe had cleared both sisters of theft.