Lottery winner avoids jail

A "persistent offender" who won a £9.7 million National Lottery jackpot was today ordered to complete a 12-month drug testing and treatment order after admitting possessing cocaine with a street value of more than £1,000.

Michael Carroll, 20, of Swaffham, Norfolk, escaped a jail sentence when he appeared before magistrates in the town.

Carroll had earlier admitted having 19.7 grams of cocaine at his home. He had also admitted possessing 20 grams of cannabis resin worth £70, nine grams of herbal cannabis worth £10, magic mushrooms worth £1 and allowing his home to be used for the smoking of cannabis.

He pleaded guilty six weeks ago and magistrates adjourned sentencing for reports from the probation service.

They warned Carroll that they were considering jailing him. But magistrates chairman Julia Richardson today said they had decided to follow a recommendation made in the pre-sentence report and imposed the drug testing and treatment order instead.

Carroll was ordered to pay £70 costs and magistrates ordered that the drugs found during a police raid on his home in December should be destroyed.