£33m lottery claim that just didn’t wash
Real winner comes forward... and it’s not German gran!
THE grandmother who said she had accidentally laundered a £33million lottery ticket was in hiding last night after the true winner claimed the jackpot. Lottery organiser Camelot announced that, after days of speculation, the lucky ticket-holder had finally announced themselves, but wished to remain anonymous.
This rules out Susanne Hinte as Camelot does not pay out on damaged tickets till after its six-month claim deadline.
The news sparked calls for the 48-yearold – who has not been seen since Saturday – to be prosecuted over her production of a crumpled lottery ticket on which the ‘winning’ numbers were virtually the only information still legible.
As neighbours accused her of attempting fraud, Camelot left the door open to
‘Never been truthful’
taking action against anyone who had tried to fraudulently claim the outstanding £33,035,323. Earlier this week, it said it would act if it thought someone had ‘intentionally attempted to defraud the National Lottery’. It received hundreds of claims in addition to Miss Hinte’s.
Shula de Jersey, a criminal lawyer at firm Slater and Gordon, said an intentional attempt to make a fake claim could be deemed ‘ fraud by false representation’, an offence with a maximum ten-year jail sentence.
Miss Hinte, who moved to the UK from her native Germany at 19, was at the centre of the hunt for the winner after it emerged last weekend that the ticket was bought in Worcester.
She claimed she laundered the ticket in her jeans after buying it at a newsagent’s near her home in the suburb of Warndon.
Her past was described last night by the daughter of an ex-boyfriend. Charlotte Payne, 24, lived at Miss Hinte’s home six years ago for around 12 months, when her father was going out with the would-be Lotto winner.
Miss Payne, from Walsall, West Midlands, said: ‘Susanne had a shiny steel pole in the bedroom … She was quite open about working as a dancer in the past.’
Her father has confirmed he was once in a relationship with Miss Hinte. Last night there was no answer at Miss Hinte’s semidetached home or at the home of her daughter Natasha Douglas, 28.
A neighbour of Miss Hinte said she hoped the former prison custody officer and barmaid would be prosecuted for her claim. Susan Gormley, 70, said: ‘I didn’t think for one minute that she had won it. She’s never been truthful … I think she should go to court … I was hoping she had won so she’d move.’
Dozens took to social media calling for Miss Hinte to be prosecuted. Rachel Smith wrote on Facebook ‘she should be done for fraud’.
Miss Hinte has had court appearances for non-payment of fines, failing to reveal a driver’s identity and failure to pay her TV licence. She is facing two trials in March for theft and motoring offences.
West Mercia Police said it could investigate only if it received a complaint from Camelot over a deception allegation. A National Lottery spokesman declined to comment last night on whether would be referring Miss Hinte’s case to police.
Do you know the identity of the lottery winner? Email lotto@dailymail.co.uk