COURT CASE OVER CANNABIS JOINT ENDS AFTER THREE YEARS AND UKP10K LEGAL BILL

A COURT case over a UKP4 cannabis joint finally ended yesterday -
after three years and a cost of UKP10,000.

Andrew Latto was caught with a single piece of the drug in Perth in
October, 2005.

The case against him involved two police forces, the Scottish Prison
Service, solicitors, court staff, doctors and teams of social workers
- - all funded from the public purse.

Changes of plea, court adjournments, medical complications and calls
for reports meant it rumbled on and on. It finally ended with Latto
being put on a year's probation.

Last night, Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken slammed the court
system for wasting time and cash on the case.

He said: "This trivial matter has cost a fortune. Obviously, the
sheriff has to deal with the matter as he sees it but a UKP150 fine
at the first calling of the case would seem to be appropriate.

"This would have saved the taxpayer an awful lot of money and avoided
cluttering up the court."

Latto was caught with the cannabis as he left Perth Prison after
visiting a friend.

He said he had intended to pass it on inside the jail but had thought
better of it.

The case was first called at Perth Sheriff Court on 24 January, 2006.

The following month, Latto, 24, pleaded not guilty, so a date for a
trial was set.

In April that year, Latto, of Methil, Fife, admitted possession with
intent to supply cannabis in the prison.

After that, the case was repeatedly called and postponed while
psychiatric and social work reports were prepared.

Then Latto claimed he had become agoraphobic and couldn't attend court.

His family eventually persuaded him to turn up in March this year.

He was due to be sentenced in April but the sheriff put the case off
until yesterday for more reports.

A legal source said the cost of the repeated adjournments and
complicated reports would be at least UKP10,000.

The source added: "The large number of legal and peripheral staff
involved in a case like this means a cost each time the case is called."