A nurse has been ordered to repay £40,000 to her former boyfriend after a court found that money she received following a £200,000 National Lottery scratchcard win was intended for investment rather than as a gift.

Craig Titchener, a 37-year-old fireman from Heathrow, won the prize on a “Winter Wonderlines” scratchcard and subsequently gave the sum to Heather Douglass, his girlfriend at the time, so she could manage the funds. According to Mr. Titchener, he hoped to use the lottery winnings to assist in purchasing a home for himself and his children and entrusted Ms. Douglass with the £40,000 because of her financial expertise.

The couple’s relationship, which lasted around 11 months, was described by Ms. Douglass as “volatile.” She claimed Mr. Titchener had “lovebombed” her with the money to repair their relationship. In addition to the £40,000, Mr. Titchener also transferred another £5,000 to Ms. Douglass, which the court determined was a genuine gift and did not require repayment.

District Judge Charlotte Hart, presiding over the case at Central London County Court, ruled that the larger sum had been intended for investment purposes and ordered Ms. Douglass to return it. The decision was handed down last week following the legal dispute between the two parties over the nature of the funds and their intended use.

The ruling highlights the distinct legal considerations between loans and gifts in personal financial arrangements, particularly when significant sums are involved and relationship dynamics complicate the intent behind monetary transfers.