Lottery winning shoplifter thought she was invisible

A mother-of-four went on a shoplifting spree despite having just won £250,000 on a National Lottery scratchcard. Nicola Lord took diazepam which she thought made her invisible when she went stealing, a court heard on Monday. Despite being barred from every Boots store in Britain, Lord still went into a branch and helped herself to £514 of perfume. The theft happened just two days after her massive win was confirmed, Blackpool Magistrates Court was told.

The winner was one of two cards she bought from a mini market in Blackpool town centre. Lord’s boyfriend David Buckley was removed from proceedings by District Judge Jeff Brailsford after shouting “ Hello Gorgeous” at Lord as she was led into the dock from the custody cells. Earlier Buckley had sung ”We are in the money” outside court and said of the win:”We don’t want to talk about it we don’t want the scrotes to know.” Lord also admitted an earlier theft of clothing and shoes worth £377 from Marks and Spencer. She is currently on licence after serving eight months behind bars.



District Judge Brailsford gave her a 24 week suspended jail term and ordered her to pay £1,330 in costs and fines within 35 days after being told by defence lawyer that Lord was due to receive a life changing amount of money within that time. Pam Smith, prosecuting, said the theft from Boots took place on September 27. When interviewed by police Lord said: ”I had taken diazepam ... it makes me feel invisible.” She said she shoplifted because she needed money to pay rent arrears on her flat in Blackpool. The court also heard she owed money to her boyfriend and she is currently receiving £120 a fortnight in State benefits.

Lord’s defence lawyer Steven Duffy told the court hearing: “Her finances are to improve substantially very shortly. She will be in a better position than she has ever been.” Sentencing her District Judge Brailsford told Lord: ”You now have a chance to change your life thanks to this change. If you do not take it you are going to be in deep deep trouble. Your life needs to improve not worsen. Your record is absolutely appalling and so far you have wasted your life.” After her case Lord said: ”I don’t know how everyone knows about the scratchcard.”