Lottery winner gives up fight to keep house

May 1 2008

SKINT Lottery winner John McGuinness has given up the fight to save his £400,000 house.

The former hospital porter and his family have moved out of the property at Canderside Toll, over the last few days.

Mr McGuinness and his wife Sandra are now living in a £320,000 property in Milton Street, Carluke.

It’s believed that the house has been bought by a company.

Mr McGuinness, who was declared bankrupt in January, said: “This is a fresh start for me and my family.

“We are looking upon the move as a turning point, a time when things will start to get better for us.

“We have had our problems in the past but Sandra and I are delighted to start again in our new home.”

Mr and Mrs McGuinness, who have four children, are living in a house that is several years old with four bedrooms, two public rooms, and three bathrooms.

In January, as rumours concerning the dire state of his finances circulated, Mr McGuinness described as “mince” reports that he was about to lose his house.

However, it later emerged that both he and his wife were locked in a legal battle with the Royal Bank of Scotland to retain the converted schoolhouse.

The bank were granted a repossession order in December.

Mr McGuinness subsequently made abortive attempts to halt the action.

However, moves to delay the proceedings, lodged at Hamilton Sheriff Court by Sandra McGuinness, were agreed by Sheriff Joyce Powrie in March.

When the case was called again yesterday in front of Sheriff Shiona Waldron, solicitors for the Royal Bank of Scotland and Sandra McGuinness both agreed to dismiss the case.

During the earlier court proceedings, lawyers for Mrs McGuinness said the couple had applied for a council house.

How they came to move into a private house apparently bought by a company remains unclear.

Mr McGuinness won a £10million Lottery jackpot 12 years ago, but a series of unwise investments has left him broke and owing £2m.

A decision to invest in Livingston FC cost him millions after the club went into administration owing £7m.

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