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Boozy pals who scooped £4m Lotto jackpot threaten to ‘sue’ Camelot after they confirm win but refuse to pay up
TWO boozy pals who claimed a £4million scratchcard jackpot are threatening court action after Camelot finally confirmed their win — but refused to pay up.
The lotto operator suspects career criminals Mark Goodram, 36, and Jon-Ross Watson, 31, from Bolton, bought the winning ticket with a stolen bank card.
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Barrister Henry Hendron is representing the jobless convicted crooks for free but will be paid if they win.
He set a deadline of Tuesday for Camelot to pay the windfall or face a legal battle.
Mr Hendron, once of Strand Chambers, London, returned to the bar following a suspension after being convicted of “chemsex” drug offences.
He said: “My clients have been very open and upfront about their upbringing in care homes and hard struggles in life, including previous substance misuse problems, which both have tried really hard to overcome.
“Camelot is in effect holding my clients ransom to their past.
CAMELOT HANDED DEADLINE
“My clients consider Camelot are behaving in a culturally racist way by subjecting them to a level of scrutiny, checking and vetting, they would not otherwise do if the person who claimed the prize spoke in a posh accent.
“My clients take the view it is because they are working class northerners with a history.”
Camelot claims the pair, dubbed “The Blotto Lads”, paid for the scratchcard “using funds obtained without the owner’s consent”.
They told them their claim was not made in “good faith” — effectively accusing them of pinching the winning ticket or using a stolen bank card to buy it.
The Bolton-born pals insist Camelot’s rules about “good faith” only apply if a claimant is not a “rightful owner” of a ticket. They say it is up to Camelot to prove that they did not own it.
Police are not investigating any wrongdoing in connection with the jackpot claim.
I want to treat myself and be a Bolton legend like Amir Khan, Peter Kay and Paddy McGuiness
Jon-Ross Watson
The pair — career criminals who have featured on police “most wanted lists” in Bolton — have been accused by former pals of illegally buying cash cards off the dark web.
Goodram and Watson deny buying the winning ticket with a stolen debit card.
They initially said they paid for the ticket themselves, but then claimed a mystery pal called “John” paid for it, but provided no further details.
The duo — who do not have bank accounts — aroused suspicions in a slurred phone quiz with Camelot chiefs.
Dad-of-two Goodram, a former crack cocaine addict with 22 convictions for 45 offences, said: “We are surviving on the kindness of others until we get what’s rightfully ours.”
Dad-of-one Watson, who has burglary convictions, said: “I want to treat myself and be a Bolton legend like Amir Khan, Peter Kay and Paddy McGuiness.”
'TRIAL BEHIND CLOSED DOORS'
In April The Sun told how the pair beat odds of 4,019,579/1 to win one of three maximum £4Million Red scratchcard jackpots.
They showed us the £10 ticket and an official receipt confirming it was a winner.
The scratchcard was bought with a debit card at Waitrose in Clapham, South London.
The pair celebrated by drinking for several days but briefly fell out, after Watson claimed he had won full rights to the winning card in a poker game with Goodram.
Camelot’s Player Services Manager Andrew Crozier rejected their jackpot claim by letter on May 28.
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He said it was decided they had “no entitlement to the prize”.
Mr Hendron, who went viral in March after a pro-Brexit rant on TV’s Question Time, said Camelot held a “trial behind closed doors”.
Camelot said: "We don't comment on individual prize claims. We follow rigorous security procedures as part of the ticket validation process."
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Lotto-winning crooks claim man who bought the £4million scratchcard for them 'wants to be anonymous'
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