A Dublin man is claiming he is entitled to half of a prize of €300,000 won in a Lotto Plus Draw, the High Court was told yesterday.
The case was adjourned on an undertaking that the woman would retain €150,000 pending a hearing at a later date.
Brian Malone, a postal worker, Kilkieran, Cabra, Dublin, claims he had a half-share in the winning ticket with his colleague in An Post, Mary Donoghue of Drumree, Co Meath.
In an affidavit, Mr Malone said Ms Donoghue had on March 18th, 2005, collected the winnings of the Lotto Plus Draw of the National Lottery held on March 16th, 2005. The winnings were valued at €300,000 and Mr Malone claimed he was entitled to half.
Mr Malone said Ms Donoghue was a friend and colleague of his and he was assigned to work alongside her at the Dunboyne sorting office.
In April 2002 and since, they had had an agreement concerning the playing of the National Lottery twice a week on the basis they would divide any winnings evenly.
They each selected three numbers for insertion on the first panel of six numbers and these were the same for every draw. The numbers for the second panel were selected randomly through Quick Pick.
At the outset the ticket was bought and paid for by him and Ms Donoghue had reimbursed him the following day at work.
About a month later, they agreed changes in how they played, including use of a Quick Pick ticket. During this new arrangement they won scratch cards seven or eight times.
Ms Donoghue had told him on March 20th that she had won €300,000 in the Lotto Plus 1 Jackpot on a "Quick Pick ticket". He became concerned as to why she had differentiated the type of ticket. On March 21st, he told her they would have to talk about his entitlement to the winnings. Ms Donoghue expressed surprise he had asked her, saying she felt sick and would talk to him the next morning.
On March 22nd, he asked her again about his winnings and she replied she couldn't believe he was asking her. He suggested she would surely ask the same of him and she replied: "No I f...ing wouldn't." Ms Donoghue would not speak to him over the next two days and he decided to seek legal advice the following day.
Mr Justice Kelly was told a defence in the case had not been filed. Counsel for Ms Donoghue gave an undertaking to the judge that his client would retain €150,000 of the winnings pending a hearing of the case.