 Iorworth Hoare: Prisoners can keep lottery winnings |
A man serving a life sentence for attempted rape has won �7m on the National Lottery. Iorworth Hoare, 52, was on release from Leyhill open prison in Gloucestershire when he bought his winning ticket for Saturday's Lotto Extra draw.
He is understood to have been staying at a bail hostel in Middlesbrough.
Hoare, who has a history of previous sex crimes, including rape, was one of three winners to share Saturday's �21m Lotto Extra jackpot.
Under Home Office guidelines, prisoners on temporary release from jail are allowed to play the lottery and can claim a winning prize.
But the government department also said the prisoner's access to the money would be restricted while he was in custody.
Tory leader Michael Howard said there seemed to be "something very odd in the arrangements" that allowed prisoners to play the lottery.
"Prisoners are not allowed to do the football pools, they are not allowed to buy premium bonds but they are allowed to buy lottery tickets. That doesn't seem to make sense," Mr Howard said.
Compensation
Hoare, originally from Leeds, is nearing the end of his life sentence after being jailed in 1989 for attempted rape.
He was also jailed several times for a string of sex attacks during the 1970s and 1980s. He received a seven-year sentence for rape in 1983. Experts believe that Hoare could now be forced to pay compensation to his victims.
Dr Ian Edwards, lecturer in criminal law at the University of East Anglia, says victims are entitled to sue for any loss or harm they have suffered from their attacker.
He said: "The question usually is whether it's worth suing, because an offender may not have any money.
"I have heard of cases where victims of sex attackers have successfully sued their attacker."
But Dr Edwards, who specialises in victims' rights, said he had never heard of a case where an offender has suddenly become very wealthy.
Julie Bindel, a feminist writer and campaigner on violence against women, said Hoare should give the money to rape victims' support groups.
"He has made a dreadful impact on somebody's life and he should show he has seen the errors of his ways," she said.
'Inexcusable'
Hoare's brother Rhys Owen, a hospital night porter, said he hoped the money would keep his brother away from crime.
"I'm not going begging for any money. Hopefully he will sort himself out with his money and it will keep him on the straight and narrow," he said.
Mr Owen, who has rarely seen his brother in 20 years, said he was sorry that Hoare's victims would have to suffer his crimes being "raked up again".
He said: "One of the victims was 60 and she must be in her 80s now if she's still alive. "It must be hard for her having to read all this again. What my brother did was inexcusable."
National Lottery operator Camelot said it could not confirm or deny the names of Saturday's Lotto Extra winners.
A spokeswoman said: "We had three Lotto Extra winners and one lottery winner. One of the Lotto Extra winners has still not claimed.
"The other winners were all no-publicity winners, so we are unable to release any details about them."
Hoare is not the first lottery winner to be serving time.
Former dustman Michael Carroll, 21, of Downham Market, Norfolk, who won a �9.7 million jackpot, was jailed last month for five months for various drugs offences after he breached a drugs testing and treatment order.
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As long as criminals stand the same chance of winning as others I don't see why they shouldn't play 
