A WOMAN who frightened a family friend after her mother died was found not guilty of sending a letter conveying an offensive message.

Michelle Malone of Sherborne Close in Hereford pleaded not guilty to sending a letter which was grossly offensive to Yvonne Berry, a friend of her mother's, intending to cause anxiety and distress.

And deputy district judge, David Goodman, found her not guilty at Hereford Magistrates' Court, as he said the letter was not grossly offensive, as the charge read.

Ms Berry was a neighbour and friend of the defendant's mum who died on September 5 last year.

In her will she named her daughter Julie and her partner as executors and said there would be no provision for Ms Malone, due to the way she had treated her.

The court heard that Julie, who lived in Australia, asked Ms Berry to handle the affairs on her behalf.

On September 8, Ms Berry heard a letter being delivered through her door in Leominster at 7.45am and it was addressed to her.

In a victim statement, Ms Berry said the letter was threatening and it frightened her.

She pointed out she was not benefiting from the will in any way, and was just a friend.

Ms Malone, 48, told the court she did not remember writing the letter and accepts it was wrong to send it.

She said she did not mean to cause Ms Berry distress or anxiety and that she was very upset at her mother's death.

She added: "I was so shocked that no-one told me she had died."

Judge Goodman said that clearly the reason why she sent the letter was to cause anxiety and distress, but he said he had to consider whether the content was grossly offensive. He said: "The message was offensive but not grossly offensive."