Asbo breach dropped

AN Inverness-shire man accused of breaching an unusual court order has had the case against him dropped after 20 months.

Stuart Hunt (49) of Drumnadrochit was issued with an interim Anti-Social Behaviour Order, or Asbo, in 2007 as part of an ongoing row with his neighbours, Stuart and Shirley Latham, over their shared access road.

The unusual order bans Mr Hunt from laughing, clapping slowly, staring, waving objects or being rude or insulting in public.

He was accused of breaching the order after calling Mrs Latham a "stupid idiot" when she blocked the road with her car in October 2010. The charge against Mr Hunt stated that he breached the order by being "unpleasant in conversation, verbally abusive and insulting towards Mrs Latham, causing her distress.

However yesterday prosecuters decided to desert the case, which has already been called in court around 16 times, because it is no longer in the public interest to proceed.