An IT expert, Dr. Sean Stimson, has been jailed for contempt of court after sending abusive and threatening communications to lawyers concerning his aunt's will, which left her £200,000 estate to charities.
Dr. Stimson, 48, was sentenced to 28 days in immediate custody by Mr. Justice Griffiths at London's High Court. He was also ordered to pay £35,000 in costs to the law firm Foot Anstey LLP for the contempt proceedings. The judge noted that Dr. Stimson had compounded the seriousness of his actions by stating he would get away with it because jails are full.
Dr. Stimson's aunt, Helen Smith, who died in 2021, left her estate to the RSPCA and other charities in her 2016 will. Dr. Stimson, who believed he was very close to his aunt, contested the will, arguing she lacked mental capacity and that a later will from 2020 reflected her true wishes to keep her Swindon home within the family. However, a previous High Court judgment found he could not substantiate these claims, and probate was granted to the charities.
Lawyers for Foot Anstey LLP told the court that Dr. Stimson had engaged in a campaign of harassment. This included sending vitriolic emails and letters to the firm, branding staff as 'ws' and 'bs' and threatening physical violence. One email sent in June 2025 stated, "My aunt's last wishes were very clear, and they will not be ignored and if necessary defended by force." A further letter in September 2025 contained a direct threat of violence, stating, "I will come and beat the s*** out of all of you including the b**s. I have had enough of your c and the jails are full so I will just keep coming for you until you comply or are permanently hospitalised."
These messages were found to be in breach of an order agreed upon in January 2025, which prohibited Dr. Stimson from harassing the firm. The firm had previously accused him of harassment, including allegedly showing up at their offices and threatening to send computer malware. He denied making obscene phone calls to female employees.
Kate Wilson, barrister for Foot Anstey, argued that the abusive nature of the communications, particularly the use of derogatory terms towards female staff, intensified the threats. Dr. Stimson's defense claimed he was referring to legal, not physical, force when mentioning defending the case with force. He also absurdly claimed the firm had fabricated one of the threatening letters.
Mr. Justice Griffiths stated that the letter was understood to threaten grievous bodily harm and that Dr. Stimson meant a threat of unlawful force. The firm had implemented increased security measures at its offices in response to the threats. The judge concluded that there was no remorse shown by Dr. Stimson and that the balance clearly fell against suspending the sentence.