Lanarkshire drug trafficker jailed for five-and-a-half years has conviction overturned

dailyrecord.co.uk:

An Airdrie man jailed for drug trafficking had his conviction overturned after the judge at his trial failed to give jurors proper instructions over an interview he gave to police.

Patrick Hattie, 52, was sent to prison for five-and-a-half years in 2021 after police recovered cocaine, cannabis resin and herbal cannabis worth £2 million.

Hattie, who ran a body repair shop in his home town and rented a yard at Shotts, was sentenced alongside a co-accused, former transport police inspector David Brown, 51, who was jailed for six-and-a-half years.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Brown, of Carfin, drove a van containing the drug to Cairnryan where ferries leave for Ireland in December 2018 where police intercepted the haul.A third accused, haulage firm boss Laurence Phee, of Airdrie, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years at a separate hearing after he admitted drug charges.During his trial Hattie had denied being concerned in the supply of the drugs and after he was found guilty launched an appeal against his conviction which centred on the adequacy of directions given by the trial judge, Lord Summers, to jurors.But during a hearing at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh, advocate depute Alex Prentice QC told judges that the Crown could not support the conviction against Hattie.It was accepted