THE HIGH COURT has continued orders freezing the assets of a woman who a judge ruled must pay her step son more than €500,000 out of a lotto jackpot win.
Mr Justice Richard Humphreys ruled last week that Mary Walsh (66) must pay the money to her stepson David Walsh plus his legal costs after a judge found he was part-owner of and entitled to a one-sixth share of a €3.3 million winning ticket.
52-year-old David Walsh of Knocknagreena, Ballinasloe in Co Galway sued his stepmother Mary, also from Ballinasloe, and argued that he was entitled to his share on the grounds his signature was among six that were written on the back of the winning ticket.
Mary Walsh, who was married to David’s late father Peter Walsh, denied this and had argued that the ticket was hers.
She claimed her stepson was offered and accepted her and her late husband’s house in lieu of €200,000 euro from the win.
David Walsh denied that. The judge in finding against Mary Walsh rejected all her claims.
The judge also placed a stay on the order pending any appeal against the decision.
She was also ordered not to reduce her assets below €929,000.
When the matter was briefly mentioned before the court today the judge continued those orders. A full hearing of the injunction application to continue the freezing orders will take place next week.
Last Thursday, after a seven-day hearing, Justice Humphreys said he believed the evidence of Walsh over that of his stepmother.
He also rejected Mary Walsh’s evidence that the reason she had allowed others to sign the back of the ticket was to enable them to avoid gift tax.
He also rejected her evidence that David Walsh chose to take the family home valued at €135,000 instead of €200,000 cash and that the transfer of the house to Walsh had nothing to do with the Lotto win.
David Walsh in his action said that he had been promised a share by his father.
Peter Walsh died in December 2011 and in his action David Walsh said his stepmother did not give him the money.
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