Latest news with #MsOwen
ITV News
09-07-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Friday 13th turns out to be lucky day for Bridgend residents as EuroMillions syndicate wins £3.6m
A group of 16 almost-strangers from Bridgend had some luck on 'Friday the 13th' as they bagged a life-changing £3.6 million on EuroMillions. The members of the West Is Best Syndicate, which is based in Bridgend, South Wales, will each get just over £212,000 following the win on Friday, 13 June. The syndicate was formed by Rhian Owen, 44, with a handful of her work colleagues at Bridgend Council. The group was named after the location where she worked – the West Hub. Despite leaving that job, the syndicate continued as Ms Owen posted on Facebook looking for new members. That is when the group blossomed into an eclectic mix of people, including old friends, family members, and even her former rugby coach, although many have never met. 'My alarm went off on the Saturday morning and I checked my emails and saw I'd won a prize on The National Lottery – but I didn't think much of it,' Ms Owen said. "Then on the way to work, I stopped outside a shop as I had something in the back of my head nagging at me to c heck my account.' When I logged in, I saw it said 'claim your prize' – and when I scrolled down and saw all the numbers matched, I was in complete shock. 'I immediately video-called my sister, who's also in the syndicate, and we just couldn't stop screaming. 'I still went to work because I didn't know what else to do – but I ended up going home early as I was in a bit of a daze.' The excited syndicate leader then revealed the life-changing news to the rest of the group via a Facebook group chat. 'I'm going to do up my house at last as it's been on my list for years,' Ms Owen said. 'I've also booked a family holiday in October and we're planning a bigger trip with all my sisters, brother and parents, it's just incredible knowing we can do this together now.' Other members of the syndicate are equally excited about their plans. Wayne Jenkins, Ms Owen's former rugby coach, is jetting off to Spain for a month and plans to gift money to his grown-up daughters. Ex-colleague Nicola Butler found out about the win on the same day her husband left his job. The money has now taken a lot of the stress away and they are now planning a much-needed family holiday. Tracey Harry, Ms Owen's sister, is buying a campervan, helping out her three children, and looking into dental procedures. Jayne Owen, Ms Owen's other sister, plays two lines and therefore walked away with double the winnings. She has already bought a campervan and plans to get some dental work done, and said the win could not have come at a better time for her. Jayne Davies, a close family friend, has battled with health problems and has used her winnings to fund a private knee replacement. Liann Gregory, Ms Owen's lifelong best friend, is giving money to her three adult children, making some home improvements, and buying a caravan for the whole family. Louise Fahey, another close friend, is taking a more measured approach as she is investing in a rental property for long-term financial security and will be helping out her children. The syndicate's win was significantly boosted because the EuroMillions jackpot had reached its cap of £208 million, meaning additional prize money from ticket sales rolled down into the next prize tier. The estimated prize for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star in a draw without a rolldown is £130,554.30. In contrast, the syndicate's £3,613,997 win is roughly 27 times higher. The West Is Best Syndicate celebrated with family and friends The Blaenogwr pub in Bridgend where, for many of the syndicate members, this was their first time meeting each other. The West Is Best Syndicate plays 17 Lucky Dips on EuroMillions every Friday, with each member playing one line apart from Jayne Owen, who plays two. Winnings from each draw were put towards tickets for the next draw as EuroMillions continued to roll over. They matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star number in the EuroMillions draw on 13 June, 2025. The winning numbers for the draw were 2, 28, 40, 43, 45 and the Lucky Star numbers were 3 and 7.
The Courier
29-04-2025
- The Courier
Fake cop who pulled over woman on M90 was sex offender
A convicted child sex offender ordered a pregnant woman to stop on a motorway using a flashing orange light on his dashboard and told her he was a military police officer, a court has heard. Sinister Sidney McLagan pursued 29-year-old Sian Owen down the M90 and flashed his full beam headlights at her until she pulled over. Ms Owen and partner Sam Taylor, 31, had been travelling from Liverpool to Shetland for a wedding when they were targeted by 73-year-old McLagan on the morning of May 20 last year. 'It was really bizarre,' Mr Taylor said. 'But also pretty frightening. 'We doubted he was military police but we didn't know whether or not he was someone in a position of authority. 'Sian was pregnant at the time and that day was her birthday, so you can imagine how shaken up she was.' Mr Taylor, who had travelled with Ms Owen and their seven-month-old child to Perth Sheriff Court for trial on Monday, said: 'We couldn't believe it when we found out who he was and what he had done before.' McLagan, from Bridge of Earn, pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and causing Ms Owen to stop without lawful authority. In 2003, the former bus driver was jailed for 15 months for historic charges involving sexually abusing two children, aged five and seven, during the 1970s. Fiscal depute Andrew Harding, prosecuting, said: 'This happened at about 9.30am. 'Ms Owen was driving down the M90 when she observed the accused's blue Toyota. 'She saw him flashing his headlights at her. 'Then he turned on an orange flashing light from the centre of his dash.' Mr Taylor, asleep in the passenger seat, woke and told his partner not to pull over. However, when McLagan continued to pursue their vehicle, Ms Owen drove off the motorway and onto Wicks O' Baiglie Road at Bridge of Earn. 'The accused and Ms Owen exited their vehicles,' said Mr Harding. 'He approached the witness and told her his car was a registered military police vehicle and as such she would be reported for a driving offence.' The fiscal depute said: 'Mr Taylor began questioning the authenticity of the accused and asked to see some identification.' The two men argued and McLagan handed over a 'military-style patch'. Mr Harding said: 'The accused said he was MOD police, before driving away.' McLagan was identified and traced by police that afternoon. They seized items from his car, including the orange light, his patch and the SD card from his dashcam. Solicitor Bethany Downham, defending, said: 'He advises that he was driving on the motorway when he was cut up by the complainer. 'His intention was to confront the driver and explain that their driving was dangerous. 'He did not intend any harm. 'However, he accepts that he should have approached the matter entirely differently and should not have acted in the way that he did. 'He accepts responsibility for his actions.' Sheriff Clair McLachlan told McLagan: 'This was quite a bizarre offence and one that will have caused upset to the complainers. 'That's not to mention their inconvenience of having to travel to court today.' The sheriff ordered McLagan, of Muirmont Place, Bridge of Earn, to pay Ms Owen £600 compensation. McLagan was placed on the sex offenders register in May 2003, after he admitted lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards a seven-year-old girl on a patch of ground at Perth's Firbank Road in 1971. He further pled guilty to similar behaviour towards a five-year-old boy between December 1974 and December 1975. The former Stagecoach driver's recollection was hazy due to drink and drugs, the court was told. McLagan was later hounded out of Perth by vigilante residents who posted news clippings of his offending through his letter box. He found work in London, but retired some 14 years ago after an accident left him with five damaged discs. The court previously heard had a low IQ of 71, placing him in the bottom 3% of the population.
