Elderly couple shamed in court for sending their own DAUGHTER a card addressed to Abuser of the Year as long-running family feud turns toxic
Retired pharmacist Steven Freedman, 76, and his 72-year old former ballet dancer wife Hedy blasted by judge for posting item to businesswoman Danielle Hampson, 46
AN ELDERY couple have been shamed in court and landed with a criminal record after they sent their estranged daughter a birthday card addressed to Abuser of the Year.
Retired pharmacist Steven Freedman, 76, and his 72-year old former ballet dancer wife Hedy were charged after businesswoman Danielle Hampson, 46, received the poisonous item of post in a tit-for-tat exchange of written correspondence.
Estranged daughter Danielle has cut off all access to her two children aged seven and ten after long-running feud with her parents Steven and Hedy came to a head
The Freedmans - both pillars of the Jewish community in Liverpool – posted their card after Danielle sent them a newspaper clipping which showed her winning a Woman Of The Year award in May last year.
Liverpool Magistrate’s court heard this week that in 2014 a long running family feud came to a head with Danielle cutting off all contact between her parents and her two children aged seven and ten.
The NSPCC volunteer and psychotherapist said she had experienced issues with her parents throughout her life and was concerned her mum had an “unhealthy fixation” on her grandchildren.
Believing Danielle's cutting was sent to goad them, on their return from one of their regular six month stints at their second home in Miami, Florida, they sent the card using cut-out letters from magazines.
They also included a print-out of an email from a group called Alienated Grandparents Anonymous which claims to helps those who suffer with “alienation or isolation” from their grandchildren.
After receiving the card on December 12 last year Danielle, a trained counsellor who helps victims domestic violence victims, went to police saying she was concerned because she had kept her home address a secret and her parents had found out where she lived.
She said in a statement: "My mother has developed an unhealthy fixated behaviour towards my children where I feel I am being stalked.
"I feel she wants to take them off me and raise them. I just want to be left alone and for the children to be left alone."
And now the couple have been left with their good names in tatters after pleading guilty to an offence of sending an indecent or grossly offensive letter.
Steven was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay costs of £235 whilst his wife was fined £400 and ordered to pay costs of £110.
Passing sentence District Judge Adam Shaw said: ''Miss Hampson can more accurately be described as a carer, not an abuser. She found the letter very hurtful. It's hard to say it can be sent with any other intent.
“Mr and Mrs Freedman both bear equal responsibly for the actual act involving the letter. The actions were mean. The description is obviously false and inappropriate."
In mitigation, defence solicitor Julian Linskill called it a tragic case, arguing the Freedmans greatest punishment is knowing they are unlikely to see their grandchildren again.
He said: "In 2014 Mr and Mrs Freedman fell out with their daughter.
"They have no idea to this day why that took place.
''They have now given up all hope of any reconciliation either with their daughter or with their grandchildren."
After the case Danielle said: ''I was gobsmacked and devastated to get this card and it's not the first time they have done things like this.
"They have a long history towards other family members and to other people, sending poison pen letters and the like.
"I don't want any contact with them at all. There are no winners in this case. Only losers all the way round.
"My children don't have grandparents and I don't have my parents. I'm not going to be jumping for joy at the sentence. That's not what this was about.”