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21/02/2008
Lottery Windfall Win Ends In Fraud Conviction
A 'greedy' lottery winner has little to celebrate this week having been forced to hand back more than half her winnings after being convicted of benefit fraud.
Lady Luck had originally brought Leanne Thompson almost £60,000 on the National Lottery - however - the 29-year-old has now been ordered to pay back £39,914, which was handed into court by cheque.
The court heard that last October, Thompson, from Bloomfield Parade in Belfast, was given a year's jail term suspended for two years.
She was found guilty of having swindled £44,752 in income support and housing benefit.
At last year's trial, she pleaded guilty to six counts of making false statements to obtain benefits.
The judge said she had taken money from "honest tax payers and that cannot be treated lightly".
Wednesday's confiscation order follows a number of repayments Thompson has already made.
However, she had already put £20,000 of her £58,518 National Lottery win down as a deposit on a house, and gave some to her family.
(BMcC)
Lady Luck had originally brought Leanne Thompson almost £60,000 on the National Lottery - however - the 29-year-old has now been ordered to pay back £39,914, which was handed into court by cheque.
The court heard that last October, Thompson, from Bloomfield Parade in Belfast, was given a year's jail term suspended for two years.
She was found guilty of having swindled £44,752 in income support and housing benefit.
At last year's trial, she pleaded guilty to six counts of making false statements to obtain benefits.
The judge said she had taken money from "honest tax payers and that cannot be treated lightly".
Wednesday's confiscation order follows a number of repayments Thompson has already made.
However, she had already put £20,000 of her £58,518 National Lottery win down as a deposit on a house, and gave some to her family.
(BMcC)
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