British police investigate death of man who won lottery jackpot as a teenager

UK police probe death of young lottery winner

LONDON — Police were investigating Thursday the death of a man who became a millionaire after winning Britain’s National Lottery when he was 17.

Police in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, said they were looking into the death of 29-year-old Stuart Donnelly, who was found dead in his home in the small southwestern Scottish town of Castle Douglas early Wednesday.

Donnelly won just under 2 million pounds in November 1997 — nearly $1.2 million at the time — and gained media attention for being one of Britain’s youngest lottery winners. People must be 16 or over to play the lottery in Britain.

He spent the money on homes for himself and his parents, and gave money to a Scottish hospital where his brother was being treated for a genetic disease.

In a 2003 media interview he spoke about feeling the pressure of the media attention. Reporters had camped outside his house, and that put a huge strain on him and his family, he said.

Police said a post-mortem will be performed but Donnelly’s death is not suspicious.