Lee Escott agrees to $300K judgment in civil lawsuit

Former national champion bowler Lee Escott has consented to a civil judgment of $300,000 against him, as part of a lawsuit related to allegations of unpaid loans.

His mother, Mercedes Escott, had a judgment of $400,000 entered against her, as part of the same agreement.

Nearly two years ago, Roy Douglas, the former part-owner of St. Pat's Bowling Lanes in St. John's, and his wife, Gladys Douglas, filed a lawsuit claiming to have loaned the Escott family $815,340 since 2008.

On Monday at Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court, lawyers for the Douglases and Lee and Mercedes Escott signed off on the consent order entering those two judgments.

Justice James Adams issued the order.

The Douglases also retained the option to proceed with action to recover additional amounts outlined in the original statement of claim.

Money gambled on Pro-Line

Lee Escott did not appear at court on Monday.

But during a judgment debtor examination in May 2014, he acknowledged borrowing more than $200,000, and possibly upwards of $300,000 or more, from Roy Douglas.

Escott said at the time that he gambled away all of that cash on Pro-Line, Atlantic Lotto's sports betting service.

Unrelated criminal charges

Lee Escott is due back in provincial court next month on unrelated criminal charges.

In December, Escott pleaded guilty to one count of forgery. He had originally been charged with eight counts of forgery, for cheques that were allegedly written from April 22 to May 16 of 2014.

An additional charge of fraud over $5,000 is still pending.

That charge is for allegedly defrauding the the Newfoundland and Labrador 5 Pin Bowlers' Association (NL5PBA).

Escott was president of the group at the time the cheques were written. He was later removed from the post when charges were laid.