Artichoke-killer sister ‘was spreading lies’

The saga between elderly siblings that involves a 213-page book, an accused theft and herbicide

A SPAT between siblings is not uncommon, but few involve a series of bitter recriminations over poisoned artichokes.

Worse still, this particular sibling rivalry between elderly sisters culminated in one self-publishing a 213-page book about the other stuffed with a number of bizarre and vicious accusations.

Gillian Leeden, the 66-year-old author of Behind The Artichokes, appeared in court yesterday accused of two counts of conveying false information under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 to her sisters Lyndsey Glassett and Deborah Lemay.

Ms Leeden’s appearance in the dock was the latest chapter in a saga that saw her convicted of criminal damage in 2014, after she was caught pouring weed killer over Ms Glassett’s prized Jerusalem artichokes. The three sisters had fallen out in 2010 over the care of their mother, Winifred Leeden, and in the book – vividly illustrated with a cartoon of a woman holding weed killer, alongside five artichokes – Ms Leeden accused them of stealing money from their mother and abusing her before her death in 2014.

St Albans Crown Court heard that following its publication, Ms Leeden posted the book to her sisters and proceeded to send it to Ms Glassett’s neighbours, landlord, daughter, friends and even the local vicar.

Ms Glassett was so upset she changed her name for six months and “cut all links to friends and social networks”, and moved to Norfolk.

Katrina Charles, prosecuting, said the relationship between Ms Leeden and the two sisters broke down irrevocably in 2010, while Ms Glassett was living as a full-time carer with their mother. Ms Leeden began to send threatening emails and in 2013 wrote an offensive blog about Ms Glassett and their family.

Following their mother’s death in April 2014, Ms Glassett went away for the weekend, but on her return discovered that the Jerusalem artichokes she had planted in the garden she had shared with her mother had wilted and died. Ms Charles told the court: “Mrs Glassett had installed CCTV and upon viewing the footage saw the defendant pour a liquid on the artichokes on Friday, May 23 2014.

“The defendant asserted that she thought she had poured weed killer on weeds and did not know that there were artichokes among the weeds. The defendant is a keen gardener and would know the difference between weeds and plants.”

She told the jury: “The defendant was arrested and convicted of criminal damage after trial.” She went on to say the defendant had repeatedly accused her two sisters of stealing from their mother, despite the fact solicitors had found there had been “no misappropriation”. In her book, Ms Leeden also accused Ms Glassett of stealing £21,000 from their mother, and claimed she was promiscuous and had unexpectedly turned up at her mother’s home after 20 years with only a suitcase.

Both Ms Glassett and Ms Lemay deny the book’s accusations.

Judge Stephen Warner told the jury they would be required to read Ms Leeden’s book in full. Ms Leeden, of Broxbourne, Herts, denies the charges.