Son of UK lottery winner says his mother kicked him out years ago

Oct 12, 2011, 10:34 am (37 comments)

Euro Millions

Lottery winner says she wants to rebuild relationship with her son

The son of Euro Millions winner Angela Dawes today claimed that his mother kicked him out when he was 12 and has not spoken to him since.

Steven Leeman, now 17, said that Ms. Dawes, 43, threw him and his father John, 44, out of her home after she had affairs with other men.

The teenager also claimed that she has refused to acknowledge his existence, answer his phone calls and blanks him when they meet on the street.

He added that he does not expect a penny from his mother's £101 million (US$157.7 million)  jackpot — despite her pledge to turn 20 of her friends and family into millionaires overnight.

Miss Dawes and her fiancé Dave — she changed her name to his — are now the joint 702nd richest people in Britain.

Her son Steven, who is a trainee joiner and lives in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, did not even realise she had won the lottery until he was told so by a friend.

"I heard someone had won it but I didn't know who they were. I haven't seen my mum since 2006 and I don't even know where she lives," Steven said.

"I came back from a school trip to France and my mom kicked my dad and me out. I was 12 years old. She burned all my dad's clothes and wouldn't give me mine back. She wouldn't even give me my CDs, DVDs and computer. Since then my dad has worked really hard to pay for us."

Steven continued, "I have never received a birthday, Christmas or Easter card from her. As far as I am concerned I don't have a mom."

"When she passes me in the street she completely ignores me. She doesn't even nod or say 'hi'. I have probably seen her about 15 times since she kicked me out."

"I know she was cheating on my dad when they were married but I do not know who with. If my mom wanted to see me now I wouldn't see her. If she sent me a letter I would read it but I wouldn't see her face to face," Steven lamented.

"All the money she could give me now wouldn't change what she has done to me and my family."

Steven, who lives with his father John, 44, a transport manager, and his grandparents, is currently studying joinery and furniture-making at college.

He used to live with his parents in a two-bedroom, £85-a-week caravan at a park called Oakdale Place on the outskirts of Wisbech.

Steven said that his mother made him and his father homeless in 2006 — forcing them to move in with his grandparents.

He revealed his parents had a messy divorce and claimed that Miss Dawes owes more than £20,000 in unpaid maintenance and debts.

He also alleged that his mother owes money for two Saab hire purchase cars and credit card debts.

"I was 12 when the court case happened so I couldn't go in. But I remember the lawyer said in the 35 years he had been working he had never known a parent who didn't want to see their child," Steven said.

"Hopefully we will get some of the money she owes but I want the money and then for her to leave us alone. She owes us about £20,000 in total with the maintenance and other debts she passed onto us."

John Leeman, who was married to Angela between 1994 and 2007, found out about her lottery win on the internet.

Leeman said, "People cannot believe that she dropped Steven like a hot potato. I don't care about her money. Steven just needs the £30 a week she owes him."

"She changed her name to Dawes. We thought they were married but we now know they are not," Leeman explained.

"It makes my blood boil when I hear she is a really good person because she does stuff for charity. She ran off with this bloke whilst I was away working."

Leeman claims Angela abandoned her financial obligations too.

"She hasn't paid a penny in child maintenance since the day she walked out. That (the affair with Dave Dawes) was going on prior to the break up. I've been working 60-hour weeks to pay her bills," Leeman said.

"I've got a sofa with holes in it and she's walking around with 100 million pounds in her pocket."

Leeman also claimed, "Two days later [after the break up] I received a phone call saying meet me in town. I met her in town she threw a bag of his clothes at me and "as far as I'm concerned you're both dead".

"Since that day she hasn't seen him spoke to him sent a birthday card, Christmas card or anything. Hasn't paid a penny towards him."

Mr. Leeman accused his ex-wife, who had told reporters of her work at a British Heart Foundation shop, of 'preaching on TV about doing charity work'.

He added, "I don't want her money, but I want her to do right by her son. Angela loved going out clubbing and drinking, having a child just got in the way of her fun."

"During his school holidays, she would force me to take Steven in the lorry with me so he would be out of the way when she went out to have fun," Leeman continued.

"She has neglected her own son very badly. It is not right. She needs to recognise her son, rather than trying to change her identity in the way she has. Instead she is rubbing this in our faces."

Last night Miss Dawes released a statement saying she was saddened by her ex-husband's claims and that she loved her son and would like to rebuild their relationship.

In her statement, Ms. Dawes said, "I'm saddened by these reports — a lot of what has been said since my divorce has been untrue and very hurtful. I've always wanted to be in contact with my son, who I love dearly, and very much still want to rebuild our relationship."

The bitter allegations from Miss Dawes's ex-husband and son surfaced within hours of the couple appearing at a press conference to tell the world that Mr Dawes's single line of numbers in the EuroMillions lottery had scooped the massive prize.

They spoke of their plans to buy a new engagement ring to replace the £800 one Miss Dawes already has.

Then a house in Chelsea for Mr Dawes, within walking distance of the factory worker's beloved Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground.

They also hope to buy a home in Portugal, where they plan to marry next year in a ceremony which Miss Dawes said would be a "bit more glamorous now".

Then came gifts for friends. "We've drawn up a list of about 15 to 20 people that we're going to sort of make millionaires," said Dave, in much the same tone as someone distributing a couple of fivers from his wallet. "Anyone that's helped us through our life."

The winning line was a selection of randomly chosen numbers and the ticket was bought from WH Smith in Market Place in Wisbech.

Mr. Dawes told the press conference in Hatfield Heath, Hertfordshire, "We were watching TV and the EuroMillions draw show came on so we kept watching, not thinking we would win anything. We got our tickets out and watched in shock as, one by one, the numbers came up on the line I'd chosen."

"We couldn't believe it!" Dawes exclaimed. "It was too late to call Camelot so I kept the ticket on me all night until the morning but we didn't sleep a wink."

The biggest ever EuroMillions prize in Britain was a £161 million jackpot won by Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs in Scotland, in July.

The second largest was claimed by a single ticket-holder, who chose to remain anonymous after winning £113 million in October last year.

The fourth-biggest EuroMillions prize winner in the UK won £84 million last May.

In February 2010, Nigel Page and Justine Laycock, from Gloucestershire, broke the then record with a £56 million win — now the fifth-biggest prize in the history of EuroMillions.

The sixth-biggest payout went to Les and Sam Scadding in South Wales who won £45 millon in November 2009.

The millionaires will now be able to buy six of the world's most expensive watches — a diamond-encrusted timepiece from Chopard costing £15 millon each.

Or they could treat themselves to 720 pairs of the world's most expensive shoes — the £140,000 diamond-encrusted heels made by the House of Borgezie.

They could also buy 600 top-of-the-range sports cars — the Ferrari 458 Italia costs a mere £170,000.

For a party to celebrate the win, they could easily afford Barbadian singer Rihanna, who charges £500,000 for a performance.

But if they wish to avoid long-lost family members who are no doubt set to come out of the woodwork, the winners could escape to their own private island, such as £100 million Rangyai near Phuket in Thailand. The 110-acre private island boasts white beaches as well as tropical forests.

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Daily Mail, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

WakeUpDifferen

I don't think people deserve or don't deserve to win the lottery, since it is and always will be a game of chance. However, this woman sure makes me question the universe and god in its fairness.  Was the antichrist prophesized to have bad teeth and an 80's haircut?  Also, I can't imagine what a person with the word "Hate" tattooed on his knuckles will do with that kind of money.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Roll Eyesmy reckoning no good will come of her winnings and current BS  .....

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

In the other thread I said they "seemed" like a nice couple.

Going by what the ex and the son say now, I may have been a little too generous in my estimation.

I have to give them more credibility than her for the simple fact that they say they don't want any of her money outside of the child-support she owes.

It's a cold heart that beats in a mother who abandons her own child and then ignores him on the street.

And it would be a cruel thing if he wasn't one of the 20 or so they intended to make millionaires.

seanp

These stupid <snip> shouldn't win the lottery. They don't deserve to win it. You can clearly see that they are not going to do any good with it. The people that really need to win the lottery can't win it. I bet that one day we going to see a post of a sad lottery winner because they are going to squander it. Seriously you can see it in their eyes.

This post has been automatically changed by the Lottery Post computer system to remove inappropriate content and/or spam.

louise black

Cussing FaceBoy! Oh! boy do this pair have an up hill battle.What kind of a mother would give up her 12yrs old to party or for a man she was allege to be having affair with,I still have heart flurrer when thinking of my mom.Hope my daughter feel that way about me.Too bad this mom won't have this feeling from her son. Money can't buy everything especially a son's love.But still that was a hell of a win.Evil Looking She gain great wealth  but lost her dignity among all who thought they knew her.Enjoy!!

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by louise black on Oct 12, 2011

Cussing FaceBoy! Oh! boy do this pair have an up hill battle.What kind of a mother would give up her 12yrs old to party or for a man she was allege to be having affair with,I still have heart flurrer when thinking of my mom.Hope my daughter feel that way about me.Too bad this mom won't have this feeling from her son. Money can't buy everything especially a son's love.But still that was a hell of a win.Evil Looking She gain great wealth  but lost her dignity among all who thought they knew her.Enjoy!!

I knew you had a heart in there somewhere Louise!  Wink

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Oct 12, 2011

In the other thread I said they "seemed" like a nice couple.

Going by what the ex and the son say now, I may have been a little too generous in my estimation.

I have to give them more credibility than her for the simple fact that they say they don't want any of her money outside of the child-support she owes.

It's a cold heart that beats in a mother who abandons her own child and then ignores him on the street.

And it would be a cruel thing if he wasn't one of the 20 or so they intended to make millionaires.

I agree, cold-hearted and cruel, it will come back to her.

seanp

Wow I can't belive such people win the lottery. I wish it could have been someone better.

Littleoldlady's avatarLittleoldlady

the Mr. Dawes ought to be taking notes.

CLETU$

Anyone who would dump her child would probably dump her man,too.Watch her,Dave.She's poison!

Empress-N's avatarEmpress-N

I gotta check the family tree to see if this cold hearted heffer is related to my mother.

This is the most wickedest {SNIP} that a mother can do to her child.

The son should not even accept the back child maintenance from her, let her rott with it all.

This just {SNIP} me off. What a cold hearted {SNIP}. KARMA will definately pay her a visit.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

That woman has an icebox where her heart is supposed to be haha

This goes to show that jackpots are soul-less and pick who to go to randomly without rhyme or reason...didn't a sex offender hit it big in MA some time

back?

businatihaba

This story is a testament to the unescapable fact that the lottery is truly random and anyone has a chance to win no matter your station life. There is no point is saying that this couple didn't deserve to win. Who "deserves" to win? If there was such a thing then the game would not be random. We can only pray that the couple finds the necessary wisdom to spend the money and that the lady is able to regain a relationship with her son. Let's not judge or we be similarly judged. Now to my question. If anyone has ever played the Euro-millions please do share some insights. I want to know whether the website is legit and whether it's legal to buy lottery tickets, foreign or otherwise, through the Internet. Since I am not conversant with current law on Internet gaming, I would appreciate feedback from somebody with knowledge in this area.

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Oh well, families are sure complicated ............. and winning the lottery complicates it further !

Argue

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