Mum's fury as she is sent court summons for son, 34, who died

Cheryl Griffin received a 30-page printout requesting her son, Lee Hooper, attended a hearing, despite the fact the 34-year-old was found dead in April.

Cheryl, of Bromyard Crescent, Paulsgrove, said: ‘The extent they have gone to for a £3 ticket.

‘I was astonished at the printout, which included his shoe size and must have cost an absolute load.’

South West Trains referred the matter to the courts after Lee did not pay his train fare for a journey from Fratton to Cosham.

A case was scheduled for July 17 at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court and the summons stated the case would go ahead if Lee failed to appear.

Lee, who was unemployed, was found dead on April 11 after staying in a friend’s bed and didn’t wake up in the morning when friends tried to rouse him.

Cheryl rang South West Trains to explain what had happened and was told a note would be passed to the courts, but was left unsure as to whether this meant the case was cancelled.

South West Trains said: ‘We received the call from the gentleman’s mother and she informed us that he had passed away in April.

‘She was of course told the matter will be withdrawn and she could discard all the paperwork.

‘We sympathised with her for her loss and told her that she did not need to 
think about this matter any more.’

Cheryl added: ‘I am still struggling with his death and we still haven’t had a cause of death.

‘It is still very raw and then to receive this through the mail was heartbreaking indeed.’