by James Scott

jscott@thekmgroup.co.uk

A woman who sent a threatening card to the daughter of a murder victim has been ordered to do community service and pay compensation.

Sharon-Anne Hills, 47, of Hillbrow Road, Ashford, sent an anonymous Christmas card, with letters made from newspaper cuttings, to 49-year-old work colleague Amanda Reynolds (pictured right), whose father Albert Bishop was killed in 2007.

Hills was arrested under the Malicious Communications Act on May 9, after an investigation by police, and admitted the offence at Canterbury Magistrates last Thursday.

The court heard the malicious card, addressed from ‘Dad’s Killer’, had caused the family a great deal of distress.

She was sentenced to do 40 hours community service and ordered to £200 compensation and £85 in court costs.

Mrs Reynolds’ father Albert Bishop, 74, died after being brutally attacked outside his home in Hythe Road, Willesborough, on March 18, which was Mothering Sunday, four years ago.

Mr Bishop, known as Taffy, left his home at 6am on the day of the attack, and went to Ashford Market on the Orbital Park, where he helped at a grocery stall which also sold imported cigarettes.

He returned at about midday and was attacked in the hallway by a man wielding a hammer.

His other daughter, Sarah, found him seriously injured when she came home minutes later.

Mr Bishop told detectives that his attacker was a white man in his 50s who stole about £700 of cash from him and left with it in a blue Nike rucksack containing his grandson’s work boots.

Mr Bishop (pictured right) suffered serious arm and head injuries and was treated at several hospitals in both Kent and Essex.

He was subsequently discharged, with ongoing medical treatment , but he had a fall at home on June 30, fracturing his femur.

He was hospitalised and operated on, but died of his injuries at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford on July 13.

As his death was deemed to have been directly caused by his assault, a Home Office pathologist ruled it should be treated as murder.

Speaking to the Kentish Express after his death, Mrs Reynolds said: “It is difficult to lose someone you love so much in such an awful way.

“Someone out there knows something and the police need to get all the information available about his final hours.”

Since his death, Kent Police has continued to investigate, but the case remains unsolved.

Det Insp Lee Whitehead from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “The card sent to Amanda Reynolds caused significant alarm and distress to her and her family last Christmas.

“I’m pleased we were able to trace the sender and bring her to justice.”