A Paraparaumu man has been told he must pay half his $1.3 million Lotto winnings, as well as $300,000 in capital gains from properties bought with the prize money, to his former partner.
The Court of Appeal yesterday ruled against Malcolm Rabson, who disputed the winnings from a ticket bought on behalf of a trust, should be shared with estranged partner Linda Gallagher, Fairfax Media reported.
The court found the ticket, purchased in November 2001, belonged to the both of them, despite Mr Rabson claiming the ticket was purchase on behalf of a trust set up before their relationship began in 1999.
In the Court of Appeal decision yesterday, Justice Mark O'Regan supported the view of High Court Justice John Wild, who found the ticket was purchased for Mr Rabson and Gallagher jointly and therefore the prize money was "relationship property", Fairfax Media reported.
The winnings paid largely for three houses, purchased in the name of the couple, and the Court of Appeal found Ms Gallagher was entitled to $300,000 in capital gains for the properties.
