Shock as knife threat hell neighbour avoids jail

Dec 4 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

THERE was a mixture of anger and surprise this week after a hell neighbour, who threatened to stab a council worker in the eye, avoided jail.

Patrick Latta, of School Street, Hamilton, was handed a tagging order.

At an earlier Hamilton Sheriff Court hearing, the 45-year-old had admitted breach of the peace.

He swore at two members of South Lanarkshire Council’s antisocial neighbour team and swung a 10-inch knife towards one of them. Luckily, the two ex-cops were able to prise the knife from him.

The incident happened on August 11 at Latta’s former home, an upper-floor council flat in Hamilton’s Warren Street. Sentence had been deferred until last week for reports.

After considering the reports and Latta’s lengthy criminal record, Sheriff Danny Scullion imposed a 40-day restriction of liberty order. It will simply require Latta to be tagged and stay at home each night, between 8pm and 7am, for the duration of the order.

News of the sentence stunned Hamilton South councillors Joe Lowe and Brian McCaig who dealt with many complaints from Warren Road residents, many of them elderly, concerning the behaviour of Latta and visitors to his home.

Councillor Lowe said: “You have to listen to what is said in court but I don’t believe this. It makes you wonder what chance you have of making life better for our good tenants.”

Councillor McCaig said he would try to find out the sheriff’s reasons for not sending Latta to jail.

“I am surprised at that sentence and I know people living in the area will feel the same as me; they will think the sentence is not severe enough,” he added.

The incident involving the two council workers occurred after the council received complaints that drugs were being dealt from the flat and began moves to evict Latta.

Steel shutters were placed over the windows and the flat was alarmed.

Latta demanded access to the flat and, on the day of the incident, was accompanied to the property by antisocial neighbour team investigators Lindsay Allan (58) and 61-year-old Hugh Rankin.

Latta threatened Mr Rankin with a walking stick, made angry comments directed at his neighbours, then told Mr Allan: “I will stab you in the eye, you b******.”

It was a short time later that the incident with the knife occurred. Latta was escorted from the house but again threatened the two officers.

Latta has convictions for theft, assault and robbery, attempting to pervert the course of justice and contraventions of the Firearms Act and Misuse of Drugs Act.