Jody cleared of harassing ‘apprentice’

EX-SHAMELESS star Jody Latham has been cleared of harassing a former contestant of The Apprentice.

Mr Latham, formerly of Bacup, was said to have caused alarm or distress with a series of threats to IT firm boss Adam Hosker, 34, who appeared alongside Katie Hopkins during the BBC show in 2007.

It was alleged Mr Latham made threatening phone calls and tweets to Mr Hosker between March and May this year after he learned he had met up with his ex-girlfriend.

Giving evidence last week at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, Mr Hosker said Sarah Byrne – who has a child with Mr Latham – came to his apartment for a drink in March this year.

Ms Byrne left the flat following a phone conversation and he later saw her having an argument with Mr Latham, 33, outside before both departed, he said.

A “frantic and upset” Mr Latham returned to his apartment the next day, said Mr Hosker, in a “strange visit” in which he was told not to tell anyone the actor had been there and “things would be OK”.

Mr Hosker obtained Mr Latham’s phone number from Ms Byrne and he explained to him he was not in a relationship with her, the court heard.

Weeks later he received a tweet from Mr Latham’s official account which said “chubby face DM me” and later another tweet which read: “DM or call or its getting said in here”.

Later in April, Mr Hosker said Mr Latham accused him over the phone of stealing his girlfriend and they needed to meet otherwise “things would end badly”.

Mr Hosker described to the court being “very anxious” and in fear for his safety if Mr Latham turned up at his apartment.

After Mr Latham was arrested, he denied harassing, intimidating or threatening Mr Hosker.

He accepted there had been contact between the pair as he was concerned about his daughter but said Mr Hosker had never asked him to stop contacting him.

Representing himself at trial, Mr Latham said he knew nothing about the tweets said to have been sent and he believed his account had been hacked or it was a fake account.

He said the April telephone conversation was “unpleasant” and he had told Mr Hosker to stop contacting him or he would go to the police.

Mr Latham said he made no threats during the call and that a text subsequently sent by Mr Hosker could be read as threatening.