Finders but not Keepers

[Lita456]

So what do you think about this? Don't know how this lady could prove it was her ticket?


(July 27) -- Michael and Amanda Stacy won 30,000 British pounds after hitting the jackpot on a lottery ticket late last year. The only problem with their good fortune was it wasn't theirs.

The ticket -- worth more than $49,000 -- had been bought by Dorothy McDonagh, who later dropped it on the floor of a supermarket, according to an Agence France-Presse report.

After McDonagh proved she was the rightful owner of the ticket, a court in Swindon, England, ordered the Stacys to return 15,000 pounds to McDonagh, plus 111 pounds in interest, in a decision announced Friday. The couple had already spent the other half of the prize money.

"It's jolly decent of them to let me have a half share of my win," McDonagh said after the court decision. The 61-year-old will have to sue Camelot Group, the operators of the UK National Lottery, if she wants to recover the remainder of her money.

The Stacys, who in April were given an 11-month suspended jail sentence for fraud in the case, claimed they thought the money was rightfully theirs, under the assumption "finders keepers."

Found British Lottery Ticket Case
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[Arcana XV]

I read about this the other day. She was able to prove it was hers because she kept the receipt from when she purchased it.

As for why the finders keepers "rule" doesn't fly in this case, this is why:

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Wiltshire | Lottery fraudster to pay £15,000

"If a member of the public finds the ticket they should send it to our prize payout department, setting out in writing the circumstances of the find and the steps they took [if any] to reunite the ticket with its rightful owner.
"If no corresponding prize claim or lost ticket notice has been received, the prize may be paid to the finder at Camelot's discretion after the expiry of the 180-day claim deadline."

 

[Oftencold]

Since the purchaser had a receipt, the document isn't in effect a "bearer bond," as I understand the term.

Seriously, my sympathy is with the Judge who had a Solomonic decision to make.

Aside from that, I detest the very concept of public lotteries.

 

[Laila]

Finders keepers imo
I'd have cashed that check skipping to the bank if it was me

 

[Apocalypse]

Finders keepers imo
I'd have cashed that check skipping to the bank if it was me

I'd bet you'll keep it along with the other stuff you're collecting that don't belong to you. :2razz:

 

[Laila]

I'd bet you'll keep it along with the other stuff you're collecting that don't belong to you. :2razz:

Damn right

But if i feel nice, i might just share :2wave:

 

[Arch Enemy]

Does finders keeps also work for guardianship of children?

Like If I were to leave my hypothetical daughter at a Supermarket.... could someone claim her under "Finders Keepers"?

 

[Laila]

Does finders keeps also work for guardianship of children?

Try it when you go down your supermarket ..

Let me know how it goes ... phone me from jail :mrgreen:

 

[Arch Enemy]

Which brings me to another question....

Does the jail pick up the tab on an international call?

 

[Laila]

Does the jail pick up the tab on an international call?

Now that is a very good question.
And one i have no answer to.

Do we have any cops on the forum?