Family of dying blind man booted out home slam council over "callous" eviction

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The family of a blind man have blasted a council for booting him out of his family home before his death.

Sheriff officers evicted James Montague, 58, from his Motherwell home in February while he was in hospital for a blood transfusion due to stage six kidney failure.

He was kicked out despite a consultant psychiatrist pleading for him to stay in his home - claiming it was “practically impossible” for him to be safely moved.

James’s brother Patrick blasted North Lanarkshire Council for the move and said his final months were spent in misery in an upstairs flat unsuited to his needs.

James died on Friday last week at the St Andrew’s Hospice in Airdrie, leaving his family heartbroken at the way he was evicted from the home he had lived in for most of his life.

Patrick, 62, said: “We are devastated to loss Jimmy but we know about the misery he had to endure in his final months and how it could have been avoided.

“North Lanarkshire Council have been callous and inhumane and they sneaked in to evict Jimmy when he was in hospital, sending round Sheriff Officers and changing out the locks.

“That in itself was a dreadful blow to his morale at a time when he knew he was dying.

“But the flat that he had to move into was up a flight of stairs and it was away from family members on the same street who gave him great support.

“It just seems that they could have allowed him to die with dignity, instead of spending every day in misery while he was dying in great pain.”

The Daily Record told in February how James, 58, was blind and suffered from stage six kidney failure, had been given six months to live.

A letter from consultant psychiatrist Dr Laisinghani to the council stated: “Mr Montague has a chronic and enduring mental health illness.

“Currently, his physical health is deteriorating. It is practically impossible for him to be moved due to him being bed bound.”

James also appealed to the council, saying: “My family has been in the house for more than 60 years and all I am asking is that I am allowed to die here.

“I’m basically asking for some compassion from North Lanarkshire Council so I can see out my last months.”

But he was evicted when sheriff officers took possession of the home on a day when James was rushed to hospital for a blood transfusion.

James was brought up in the house in Millfield Avenue before moving to a housing association flat nearby.

But he moved in with his mum Margaret and dad Patrick, an Alzheimer’s sufferer, to help care for them in 2017. His mother died in 2021 and his father passed away in 2022.

James soon fell ill himself, losing his sight and suffering chronic problems including neuropathy, diabetes and ulcerative colitis as well as chronic kidney failure. He has also been diagnosed with severe mental health issues.

James said he kept the tenancy for the housing association flat because it was his intention to move back in. His health issues overtook him and he was unable to.

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council declined to comment.

They earlier told the Daily Record: “While we sympathise deeply with Mr Montague’s circumstances, we have a legal obligation to follow existing tenancy arrangements and laws, including the eviction process ruled by the court.

“Mr Montague also holds a tenancy with another social housing provider and they may be able to provide him with the assistance he needs at this time.”

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