Lotto fraudster handed £2.5m for fake ticket faces 6 more years in jail over assets

dailystar.co.uk:

fraudster who conned the Lottery out of £2.5 million with a fake ticket faces six more years in prison unless he hands over what is left of his ill-gotten gains.Edward Putman, 56, is set to lose a house and land in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, where he had planned to build an hotel.The former bricklayer has been ordered to hand over his assets, valued at £939,782.44, within three months or face further years added to the nine year sentence he is already serving.Putman was found guilty in October 2019 of using a forged winning ticket to claim the jackpot in 2009 after a lottery insider spilled details of the scam.In a Proceeds of Crime hearing at St Albans Crown Court today, prosecutor Adam Pearson said the benefit Putman had obtained from the fraud was £2,525,495 and the available amount for confiscation was £939,782.44.His barrister Lawrence Selby said: "Mr Putman does not accept or agree the benefit figure or realisable assets, but will not be contesting these proceedings. "Judge Philip Grey said he will give a formal ruling later, but would impose a further six years in prison if the money was paid within three months.The house that is due to be taken, which is close to the M25, currently stands in a scruffy, unkempt state with curtains drawn shut.

The land resembles a vehicle graveyard with at least twenty cars and vans parked up alongside caravans and mobile homes.During his trial the jury heard Putman had conspired with lottery insider Giles Knibbs, who worked in Camelot's security department, to present a fake ticket.The actual winning ticket, which was never claimed, was bought at a Co-op store in Worcester on March 11, 2009.