In 2019, Joshua Addyman purchased a National Lottery scratchcard from a Londis store in London, unaware that the winning ticket, which turned out to be worth £4 million, was bought using his stolen bank card details. The perpetrators, known as the ‘Blotto Louts’ — Jon-Ross Watson and Mark Goodram from Bolton — fraudulently used Joshua’s card to obtain the ticket.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, 29-year-old Joshua expressed his surprise and confusion over the ordeal. He said he had “absolutely no idea” about his involvement in the high-profile case and had never met the fraudsters. Joshua described how, having experienced card theft before, he was initially perplexed by the authorities' reaction: “I’ve had my card stolen before, I was like ‘why is this such a big deal?’ No one ever explained it to me.”
He also shared his frustration with the lack of communication from law enforcement, particularly Greater Manchester Police, who repeatedly asked him to attend court in Manchester without providing clear information about the proceedings. “They kept calling me, they even sent police to my house… I wasn’t going to Manchester just to say I don’t know what’s going on,” he said, highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated his involvement.
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Both Goodram, 38, and Watson, 31, were sentenced to custodial terms for their fraud. Goodram received a 19-month sentence after pleading guilty to multiple counts of fraud and breaching bail conditions.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police stated that they had thoroughly investigated the case of fraud by false representation and had kept the victim informed to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure justice was served.
Detective Constable Michelle Wilkinson of the Complex Fraud Team described the case as extraordinary, noting that the chances of winning were one in four million but that the criminals’s fraudulent purchase denied any rightful winner. She praised Camelot staff for their vigilance and emphasized that the offenders’ selfish actions would not be tolerated, affirming that the investigation ensured the offenders were held accountable.
Despite the criminal proceedings and the large sum of money involved, Joshua Addyman remains without any portion of the £4 million winnings, a stark reminder of the impact of identity theft and fraud.