Heartbroken loved ones of a blind man have slammed a ‘callous’ and ‘inhumane’ council for booting him out of his home whilst he was suffering in hospital with stage six kidney failure.
James Montague, 58, spent his final moments in misery after the North Lanarkshire Council moved him to an upstairs flat unsuited to his needs, his brother Patrick says.
The unwell tenant was evicted from his family home in Motherwell by sheriff officers who ‘snuck’ into his home as he lay in hospital with failing kidneys.
The council evicted him, despite pleas from a consultant psychiatrist who said was ‘practically impossible’ for Mr Montague, who had chronic mental health issues, to be safely moved with his deteriorating physical health.
His heartbroken family have hit out at the council following Mr Montague’s death at the St Andrew’s Hospice in Airdrie on November 15 of this year.
The grieving relatives have been left reeling after the way their beloved family member had been evicted from the home where he had spent most of his life.
His 62-year-old brother blasted sheriff officers for ‘sneaking’ into the property to change the locks whilst his brother’s health deteriorated, dubbing it ‘a dreadful blow’.
Patrick, 62, said: ‘We are devastated to lose Jimmy but we know about the misery he had to endure in his final months and how it could have been avoided.
James Montague spent the final months of his life in misery after being evicted from his family home whilst he suffered in hospital with stage six kidney failure
His grieving brother Patrick (Pictured) has since slammed North Lanarkshire Council as ‘callous’ and ‘inhumane’
‘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.’
In February Mr Montague, who was blind, had been given six months to live after being diagnosed with stage six kidney failure.
A letter addressed to the council and seen by the Daily Record from consultant psychiatrist Dr Laisinghani read: ‘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, begging to be ‘allowed to die’ in the family home where his family had lived for over six decades.
His 62-year-old brother blasted sheriff officers for ‘sneaking’ into the property to change the locks whilst his brother’s health deteriorated, dubbing it ‘a dreadful blow
‘I’m basically asking for some compassion from North Lanarkshire Council so I can see out my last months,’ he pleaded.
But he was evicted when sheriff officers took possession of the home on the day 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.
In 2017 he moved in with his parents Margaret and Patrick, who was an Alzheimer’s sufferer, to help care for them.
His mother and father passed away in 2021 and 2022 respectively, with James soon being hit with his own health woes.
James began to lose his sight and suffered with 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.’
A consultant psychiatrist as well as James also pleaded to the council for him to be able to stay in his family home of 60 years in the run up to his death
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council previously said: ‘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.
‘In Mr. Montague’s case, the property has been subject to legal proceedings following his father’s passing in 2022, and subsequent failure to secure succession of tenancy, and we must uphold the decisions of 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.’
They have declined to comment on the matter further.