A Mayo man has won a High Court challenge to a Lotto syndicate's rejection of his claim that he is entitled to a one-fifth share of a jackpot of more than €2 million.
Mr Justice Clarke ruled that Mr Martin Horan was still a member of the syndicate that scooped the jackpot on January 6th, 2001, and was therefore entitled to a payout.
The four other men in the syndicate, who claimed they were its sole members, said Mr Horan was excluded from the syndicate months earlier because his contribution's were in arrears and because he had told the syndicate organiser to "f*** off" when asked for contributions.
Mr Horan denied those claims, arguing he had always paid his contribution in arrears and had never been told he had ceased to be a member of the syndicate. He also claimed the syndicate had previous winnings of some £100 which had not been distributed.
Evidence in the three-day hearing before Mr Justice Clarke concluded yesterday. Mr Horan, of Carragown, Bohola, Castlebar, took his action against four men from Castlebar and An Post National Lottery Company limited.
The four are Mr Frank O'Reilly, a publican of O'Reilly's pub, Ballyvary, Castlebar; Mr Micheal McHale, a farmer of Curranee, Ballyvary; Mr John Joyce, a taxi driver of Keelogue, Ballyvary; and Mr Seamus O'Brien, a taxi driver of Ballyvary.
A 21-day stay has been put on the awarding of the €400,000 to allow any of the four men to lodge an appeal.