Freed - The woman who sent weed killer to Tony Blair

A LITTLEHAMPTON pensioner who sent hoax chemical threats to Tony Blair, his family and several other government ministers, walked free from Lewes Crown Court on Monday.

Shirley Freed, 72, of Potters Mead, Wick, pleaded guilty to five charges of making hoax threats under the Anti-Terrorism and Security Act, 2001, and faced a maximum of seven years in jail.

But she was spared a jail term by judge Mrs Justice Rafferty on the grounds of her old age and ill health and was given a 51-weeks sentence on each charge, suspended for two years, the sentences to run concurrently.

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Freed was arrested in Littlehampton on May 3, by officers from the Metropolitan Police following months of investigation by anti-terrorist squad officers, after a number of letters containing white powder and threatening messages were sent to the Blairs, David Blunkett, Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears, Patricia Hewitt and Louise Casey.

She was eventually traced through her DNA which was found on the letters.

Each package contained annotated newspaper cuttings and hand-written messages like "we are watching you, be afraid, be very afraid", as well as white powder made up of various substances including weedkiller, flour, sugar and the element boron.

Freed asked for a further 22 offences to be taken into consideration by the court.

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Defending, Selwyn Shapiro described his client as "rather dotty but in her mind, well-meaning".

Judge Rafferty branded Freed "arrogant" and said: "Politicians elect to place themselves in the public eye '“ their families do not. Your wicked intention to frighten members of the Prime Minister's family is unforgiveable."

See this week's Gazette for the full report

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