Some new light has been shed on the seemingly happy story of the ex-homeless man, Herbert Plant who won £2.6 million on the lottery.
It now appears not to be such a happy story when it was discovered that the 49 year-old man has been on the sex offender’s register.
Mr Plant spent five years on the sex offender’s list for plying a 15 year-old girl with alcohol and cannabis to have sex with her in 2002.
He was accused of rape, however, the girl refused to give evidence and the charge was dropped.
The girl, now 21 since hearing of Mr Plant’s win, has been in contact with her lawyers and plans to sue Mr Plant for a share of his winnings.
Before the media gained knowledge of Mr Plant’s shameful past, his lottery win was seen as the classic rags to riches story (
see previous ukgamblingonline story). Who could begrudge a man made redundant from his supermarket job causing him to become homeless, and who now works in a hospice for the homeless a big lottery win? Well you can now you know what he did to that 15 year-old girl.
Mr Plant met the girl on a caravan site, after she had run away from home. He said he would pay her rent if she agreed to have sex with him.
After three months she ran away again and when police interviewed Mr Plant he said he believed she was at least sixteen.
A police source said, “This was a vulnerable mixed-up kid and Plant preyed on her for sex. He knew she was underage but carried on for three months. He should have gone to prison.
“She was terrified and agreed with Plant’s version that she was a willing partner.
“She’s 21 now but won’t see Plant in the same light as he portrayed himself after the win.”
Another rapist Iorworth Hoare who won over £7 million on the lottery was sued by his rape victim earlier this year after the House of Lords overturned the ruling that she couldn’t take him to court.
The rape victim’s representative Damian Crosse said, “Thanks to the case brought by Mrs A, the victim in this new case will now be able to claim compensation.
“The circumstances of the two cases are different of course but this young lady will definitely have a claim because the man reached a law designed to protect people like her.
“She will have suffered damage and is entitled to compensation from him.
“Just as Mrs A did not sue Hoare when he was penniless, nor would this woman have thought it worthwhile to sue this man when he was homeless. But now he’s a millionaire it’s a different story.”
