Lottery winner benefits cheat fails to get jail term cut (From Watford Observer)

Edward Putman of Kings Langley failed to disclose £5m winnings

2:49pm Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By Court Reporter

A greedy benefits cheat who conned £13,000 out of the state after winning almost £5 million on the lottery had his sentence challenge rejected in London's Appeal Court today.

Edward Vincent Putman, 47, had his incapacity benefit suspended in April 2010 after failing to attend an assessment, Judge Anthony Morris QC told the court.

But three months later he wrote a letter pleading for his benefits to be reinstated, claiming he "had no money and had had to sell his belongings to support himself".

Putman's letter "made no reference" to the fact that he had won almost £5 million on the Euro Lottery ten months earlier, added the judge.

In August 2010 he made a back-dated claim for Council Tax benefit, saying he had been "in and out of hospital" for the past eight months and that he had no money in the bank.

"Once again he didn't disclose his lottery winnings," the court heard.

Putman was jailed for nine months at St Albans Crown Court in July after pleading guilty to two counts of failing to notify a change in circumstances.

He challenged his sentence in the Appeal Court, but had his complaints thrown out.

There was evidence that Putman, of Station Road, Kings Langley, had a personality disorder, but the sentencing judge said he was clearly driven by a level of greed which "defied belief".

A probation officer reported that Putman "still felt entitled to receive benefits despite his lottery winnings".

And Judge Morris, sitting with Lord Justice Toulson and Mr Justice Langstaff, said there was nothing wrong with Putman's punishment.

"In our judgment the sentence was neither wrong in principle, nor manifestly excessive," he concluded.