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Pair sentenced over lottery fraud Lottery warning after fraud case
(about 1 hour later)
A couple who found a winning lottery ticket and cashed it in have been given 11-month suspended jail sentences for theft and dishonesty. Lottery organisers have warned people to guard their tickets after a couple who found a £30,000 winning ticket and cashed it in were sentenced for fraud.
Amanda Stacey, 34, from Swindon, Wiltshire, found the ticket on the floor of her local Co-op supermarket. Amanda Stacey, 34, from Swindon, Wiltshire, reportedly found the prize ticket on the floor of her local Co-op.
With her husband Michael, she spent some of the winning £30,000 on clearing debts and buying new carpets and treats for their children. She and her husband Michael reportedly spent some money on clearing debts.
But Dorothy McDonagh proved to lottery firm Camelot that the ticket was hers. The Staceys admitted charges of making a false representation, and Amanda Stacey also admitted theft. They were given 11-month suspended sentences.
Police froze the remaining £15,000 and brought charges against the couple. Police were brought in after Dorothy McDonagh proved to lottery firm Camelot that the ticket was hers, The Sun newspaper reported.
The pair admitted charges of making a false representation and Amanda Stacey also admitted theft. Police reportedly froze the remaining £15,000 and brought charges against the couple. The pair admitted charges of making a false representation and Amanda Stacey also admitted theft.
A judge at Swindon Crown Court said the pair had acted out of financial need, not greed. A judge at Swindon Crown Court said the pair had acted out of financial need, not greed, The Sun said.
We are reminding players to keep their tickets safe and fill out their names and addresses on the back. Camelot spokesman We are reminding players to keep their tickets safe and fill out their names and addresses on the back Camelot spokesman
A court hearing in July will decide if Ms McDonagh, 61, will get the remaining £15,000.A court hearing in July will decide if Ms McDonagh, 61, will get the remaining £15,000.
Mrs Stacey told officers she was not aware she had committed a crime and attributed the find to good luck. On Wednesday a Camelot spokesman said: "The dispute is now between the two parties involved.
A Camelot spokesman said today: "The dispute is now between the two parties involved.
"We are reminding players to keep their tickets safe and fill out their names and addresses on the back. That way there can be no dispute."We are reminding players to keep their tickets safe and fill out their names and addresses on the back. That way there can be no dispute.
"We have a clear lost and found policy so if a member of the public finds the ticket they should send it to our prize payout department, setting out in writing the circumstances of the find and the steps they took [if any] to reunite the ticket with its rightful owner. "We have a clear lost-and-found policy, so if a member of the public finds the ticket they should send it to our prize payout department, setting out in writing the circumstances of the find and the steps they took [if any] to reunite the ticket with its rightful owner.
"If no corresponding prize claim or lost ticket notice has been received the prize may be paid to the finder at Camelot's discretion after the expiry of the 180-day claim deadline." "If no corresponding prize claim or lost ticket notice has been received, the prize may be paid to the finder at Camelot's discretion after the expiry of the 180-day claim deadline."