A woman has received a nine-week suspended jail term after sending a picture of her late mother in a chapel of rest to her ex-sister-in-law.

Magistrates at Llandudno heard it happened on the day of the funeral and caused great distress to Amanda Pim.

A defence solicitor said ill-feeling in the extended family had “boiled over”.

Lisa Michelle Griffin, aged 50, of Balmoral Grove, Rhyl, was found guilty after a trial of sending an offensive message and must pay £200 compensation and £415 costs.

A restraining order was made banning contact with Mrs Pim.

James Neary, prosecuting, said Lena Brierley had been “like a mother” to Mrs Pim, but Griffin resented her friendship with the pensioner.

Mr Neary said it was Mrs Pim who had informed Griffin of the mother’s death in July but she was abused with offensive language and Griffin put the phone down on her.

Mrs Pim, of Oldham, became worried about messages sent to her and contacted police.

But on the afternoon of July 28 the “extremely distasteful” snap was received.

Mr Neary said Mrs Pim believed Griffin was unhappy about the will.

Griffin, when quizzed by police, “seemed to excuse her behaviour because she seemed to blame the victim for being responsible for the will”, the court in Llandudno heard.

A probation officer said Griffin was remorseful and had not been thinking properly at the time. She was on benefits due to being unfit for work.

Dafydd Roberts, defending, said: "This matter has arisen when a dispute or ill-feeling in an extended family has boiled over.”

Griffin suffered from ill health and went into hospital in early 2017.

Mr Roberts said when she came out she discovered her mother had been moved by the victim from North Wales to a nursing home in Oldham.

There was then further bad feeling between the defendant and victim.

The lawyer said the pensioner’s will had also been re-written in February.

The photograph was sent as a message to Mrs Pim that she couldn’t prevent Griffin from seeing her mother,

Mr Roberts said.

But he added: "I fully accept the sending of the photograph is in very bad taste.”

Court chairman Darren Campbell told Griffin: "The messages you sent were highly distressing.

"You sent a picture of your deceased mother, an act which was distasteful.”