Lotto shop owner fined for cheating winner

A former Lotto shop owner who tried to cheat a customer out of a $30,587 prize was today fined $7000 after a judge refused to accept claims he was "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

Vijay Navin Patel, 35, of the Kapiti Coast, pleaded guilty last month to using a document to obtain by deception.

The former owner of the Village Lotto and Dairy in Raumati told a customer he had won a third division prize of $642 in the September 2 draw when the man had really won second division.

Defence lawyer Chris Lillie told Porirua District Court that Patel gave the second division ticket to a man whose relative was dying of cancer.

However Judge Michael Behrens said Patel's excuse was "bizarre" and he did not believe compassion was the motivation behind his offending.

He fined Patel $2000 for failing to inform the Lotteries Commission of three previous theft convictions when applying for his franchise license, and $5000 for obtaining the prize by deception, and ordered him to repay the commission's investigation costs of $1336.84.

- NZPA