LOTTO KILLER
Inside rise and fall of EuroMillions Lottery winner who went from scooping £45M fortune… to sentence for killing woman
THIS is the story of a EuroMillions winner who scooped £45million but lost his life of luxury after killing a gran on Christmas Day.
Matt and Cassey Topham bagged themselves the eye-watering jackpot in 2012 and splurged on race cars, mansions, a helicopter, and even a zoo.
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Before the life-changing win, decorator Matt and wife Cassey lived in a £89,950 ex-council house in Stapleford.
Before long, one of Britain's youngest ever mega lottery winners was treating his family to lavish gifts.
The 23-year-old even bought his mother-in-law a £600,000 petting zoo, along with llamas, pygmy goats, horses, pigs, and ducks.
To top it off, Matt also snapped up a falconry centre with barn owls, falcons, hawks and a sea eagle.
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Wife Cassey’s mum Jane ran the visitor site at Rushmoor Country Farm Park in Louth, Lincs, with daughters Jade and Alicia.
The former painter and decorator also paid off family members' mortgages, and purchased a house for brother Craig.
After hitting the jackpot and treating friends, Matt also reinvented himself as a racing driver and helicopter pilot.
He became the proud owner of a fleet of Aston Martins, one of which he won a race at the Donington GT Cup Championship in - a £240,000 Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
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A pal previously said: “They seem to have got the hang of being lottery millionaires — they know how to have some fun.
“If his mum-in-law wanted a zoo, why not buy her one? He can afford it. It’s nice to see a couple getting a lottery win right for once.”
The millionaire also splashed out on his own helicopter, which was stored at a hangar at his Lincolnshire mansion.
BIG PLANS
Matt and Cassey made headlines once again when they shared big architectural ambitions for a £1.2million home in 2017.
The lottery-winning couple wanted to turn a seven-bed mansion into a futuristic home, with four wings and a basement swimming pool.
They nicknamed the once grand house, in Adams Hill, Nottingham, the Teletubby Eco Home.
Planning applications were approved by council bosses but the project was later abandoned because of spiralling construction costs.
And, the historic Rainbow House shortly became a rat-infested magnet for drug addicts and a constant headache for police.
The property has been left to fall into disrepair ever since.
TRAGEDY STRIKES
But, just two years later Matt and Cassey's lives changed forever once again.
Racing-mad Topham was visiting relatives in the Louth area of Lincolnshire on the evening of Christmas Day.
When he was driving with his two sons in the back of the car, the dad claimed one them dropped their teddy bear.
The 31-year-old maintained he looked away from the road for "three seconds" to try and retrieve the cuddly toy.
But as he did so, Topham swerved into the wrong side of the road and came face to face with headlights as he sat up.
Travelling in the oncoming car were Mary Jane Regler, 75, and her husband of 56 years Rodney, 78.
Tragically, Jane died after suffering fatal chest injuries in the collision near North Cockerington.
The smash also left Rodney, who was driving, with a fractured ankle, ribs and sternum and cracked vertebrae.
The couple were understood to have been returning home following a Christmas visit before the crash at 5.50pm.
'IT WAS JUST A SIMPLE MISTAKE'
Bodycam footage released by Lincolnshire Police showed the moment the EuroMillions winner spoke to officers at the scene.
In the clip, he is heard saying: “I'm fine. I'm just gutted about everything, obviously.”
Topham goes on to explain how he had looked away for a split second to grab his screaming two-year-old’s teddy - but then veered into the wrong lane.
He is heard telling the officer: “It was just a simple mistake to try and help my son and it f**** up someone’s life, you know.”
The officer responded by putting his arm around Topham, saying: “I’ll let you into a secret. I’ve been there, alright?
“I've been in exactly the position you're in now. And I know [how] s*** it feels. All right.”
Topham avoided jail after he was cleared of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial - but said he would “carry the guilt" with him "forever”.
Topham admitted a lesser charge of causing death by careless driving.
He could have faced up to 14 years in jail for causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving if he had been found guilty.
The 31-year-old was instead handed a 16 week sentence suspended for two years.
Topham was also slapped with a 12 month driving ban and will be electronically tagged and subject to a curfew between 7pm and 7am.
Jane's daughter Lesley said "heartbroken doesn't come close" to describing her feelings after her mother's death.
She added: "I'm just existing now. I have lost the one person in life who loved me with all their heart."
'WE WERE SOULMATES'
Outside the court, widower Rodney, told The Sun: “I don’t forgive him, I never will. Ever.
“But I don’t wish him ill because I believe it was a complete accident. There are no winners, are there?”
Mr Regler said: “I certainly couldn’t care less that he’s a lottery winner, like I say, good luck.
"He did the right thing from the start and admitted that the crash was his fault. At least he did that.
"He admitted it to police at the scene from the start. He held his hands up.
“We were married 56 years, me and Jane. We were soul mates."
Reliving the smash Rodey, who now lives alone, said: “It all just happened in three seconds.
“We had been to our son’s house for Christmas dinner and we were driving home.
“It was dark and we were talking about feeding our horse, just giving him a little nip of Guinness before tucking him in because it was Christmas.
“I saw these lights up ahead and I turned but then, bang - it had all happened and I was trapped in the car."
In a statement outside court, the Lotto Winner said: “I cannot begin to express the remorse I feel about the tragic events of 25 December 2019.
“I am deeply sorry for my actions and the devastating impact that they have had on the Regler family and I will carry that guilt with me forever.
“I would like to thank my family, friends and my legal team for their support throughout this process.”
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