The grandmother who falsely claimed her winning £33 million lottery ticket was ruined in the wash has been cleared of stealing a purse from an elderly woman.
Susanne Hinte gained notoriety when she staked her claim for January’s record-breaking National Lottery jackpot after she said her ticket was damaged in a washing machine.
On Wednesday, the 48-year-old healthcare worker was acquitted of stealing £55 and two bank cards belonging to 73-year-old Susan Kirby in Birmingham as she made her way to a blind date.
Hinte, of Warndon, Worcester, was accused of taking the purse when she called in at Mrs Kirby’s bungalow in January but was cleared following a three-day trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
She told the court she was distressed at being unable to find her date’s address and asked Mrs Kirby if she could charge her mobile phone.
Before she was cleared, Hinte’s solicitor-advocate, Judith Kenney, said her client "had got love on her mind, not theft" at the time of the alleged offence.
A second charge of theft, in which Hinte was alleged to have stolen an Xbox controller from a man she met online, was dropped in April.
In her closing submissions to JPs, Miss Kenney said of Hinte: "This is an extraordinary case for this reason - this woman was looking for romance, she was looking for love.
"Instead she found herself the recipient of not one but two criminal charges of theft."
Criticising the police constable in charge of the inquiry, Miss Kenney added: "Sadly, Mrs Hinte's account in interview has not been investigated at all.
"A complaint was made and as far as (the investigating officer) was concerned, it was an open and shut case. He wasn't prepared to investigate it."
After being cleared of stealing the pensioner's purse, Hinte thanked the magistrates hearing her case and leaned briefly on a nearby desk for support.
She then left court with her agent, Barry Tomes, without making any comment.
