Lotto insider who ‘helped rapist win £2.5m jackpot’ lived ‘like he was skint’ until he killed himself
IT expert Giles Knibbs, who committed suicide after being arrested, didn't "flash the cash", a family member has revealed
A CAMELOT insider accused of helping a convicted rapist win the jackpot with a fake ticket "lived like he was skint", a family member has revealed.
IT expert Giles Knibbs, who worked in Camelot's fraud detection department, committed suicide after being arrested on suspicion of fraud last year.
The 38-year-old is accused of giving rapist Edward Putman, 51, inside information helping him scoop an unclaimed £2.5million prize.
The revelations come after Camelot was fined £3million last week by the Gambling Commission for paying out a prize on a "deliberately damaged ticket".
A friend told The Sun the alleged scam was linked to Mr Knibbs' death following suspicions raised at the time.
Now a family member has called for Putman's millions to be seized, and has revealed that Mr Knibbs acted "like he was skint" despite reportedly being worth £650,000 at the time of his death.
They said: “I don’t know if he got any money from Eddie or not but I wouldn’t have thought so judging by how he lived his life.
“He certainly wasn’t flashing the cash. When we went out in London with him it wasn’t like he acted as though he had money.
“It wasn’t him buying drinks for everyone. In fact it was the other way round - he was trying to get others to buy the drinks.
“The kitchen at his house was in a terrible state. The bathroom looked like it belonged to someone who was skint.
“My view is that it would be good if he [Putman] had the lottery money taken away from him.”
The relative revealed how Mr Knibbs bought a £320,000 home in Bricket Wood, Herts., one year after the alleged scam, reports the .
Putman turned up unannounced at the address around this time, proving contact between the two following the jackpot win.
The family member added: “I met Eddie at Giles’ house shortly after he’d bought it.
“Eddie hadn’t been invited but he came in and acted as though he owned the place.
“He seemed like a regular sort of geezer. How wrong can you be?
“I know they fell out subsequently but at that point they were getting on very well.”
Putman, of King’s Langley, Herts., chose to remain anonymous when he hit the jackpot in 2009.
But details of his win became public in 2012 when he was jailed for fraudulently claiming £13,000 benefits - having already spent seven years behind bars for raping a pregnant 17-year-old,
Mr Knibbs was arrested after the pair fell out in 2015. His body was discovered in a car near Ivinghoe Beacon, Bucks., at around 3pm on October 6 last year.
A coroner ruled he committed suicide, with the cause of death given as asphyxiation.
A neighbour told how police launched a three-day search after he was reported missing.
She said: “A policeman knocked on the door and asked if we had seen Giles.
“He had been reported missing - I would assume by his partner - and it was totally out of character.
“He was found dead in his car - it was very sad for his family and friends.”
Mr Knibbs left no will and was not married to his boyfriend, meaning his estate is likely to have passed to his parents or siblings.
His assets - believed to have been £430,000 after debts were paid - are understood to have included a life insurance payout of over £160,000 and significant equity in his home.
The property, which he bought for £320,000 in 2010, sold for £500,000 this Autumn.
Putman was jailed for seven years in 1993 after he raped a pregnant 17-year-old girl.
His ex-girlfriend's brother claimed this week he was a violent con artist who.
He was questioned about the suspected lotto fraud but no charges were brought.
It has been alleged that Mr Knibbs was working in Camelot’s fraud department when he accessed details of the unclaimed jackpot.
He is then said to have contacted Putman, who bought a ticket with the winning numbers from the same shop.
The barcode and date were allegedly removed from the slip - leading to the payout being approved.
When asked if Mr Knibbs's family blame Putman for his suicide, our source said:
“To a degree yes.”
Responding to calls for the police investigation to reopen, they added: “I’m torn because it won’t bring Giles back.
“My opinion has always been that as a convicted rapist he should never have been allowed to win in the first place.”
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