A CONVENIENCE store worker has denied stealing the lottery winnings of a customer who finally struck it lucky after 14 years.

Yawar Saeed Butt, 53, of Eastwood Road North, pleaded not guilty to stealing a winning lottery ticket from a regular customer and claiming the winnings by false representation when he appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

The customer, who had used the same numbers on a fast-pay card for 14 years, entered the store to check his ticket on the lottery machine.

The machine is alleged to have beeped twice, signifying a large win, though the customer claimed he only received £3.

Butt is then alleged to have claimed the £1,090 winnings for himself at the post office.

Although the matter could have been tried at the court, Butt elected for trial by jury at Basildon Crown Court, where he will appear the week commencing April 28. He was granted bail.