A latch assembly is provided, the latch assembly having: a chassis, a latch bolt having a closed position and an open position, a pawl having an engaged position and a disengaged position, an eccentric arrangement defining an eccentric axis and a pawl axis remote from the eccentric axis, wherein when the pawl moves from the engaged position to the disengaged position the eccentric arrangement rotates about the eccentric axis to move the pawl axis from a first pawl axis position to a second pawl axis position, a retaining mechanism having a retaining position at which the pawl axis is held in the first pawl axis position and having a non-retaining position at which the pawl axis is allowed to move to the second pawl axis position, a release lever configured to move the retaining mechanism between the retaining position and the non-retaining position.