Calendar notice (to be published 9 march 2012)

Disciplinary Committee Inquiries
The Disciplinary Committee of the GBGB were in attendance at a meeting held on 21 February
2012:-
Mr K Salmon (in the chair)
Dr E Houghton
Mr R Woodworth
Dr AJ Higgins*
(*denotes where Dr Higgins was present in an advisory capacity as Independent Doping &
Medication Adviser)
1.
*Yarmouth Stadium – LOADED DICE – Professional Trainer Mrs J White
Professional Trainer Mrs JA White was found in breach of rules 174 (i) (b) and 217 of the GBGB rules of racing in that a urine sample taken from the greyhound LOADED DICE at Yarmouth Stadium on 3 November 2011 was analysed by LGC Ltd as containing the presence of prednisolone. Mrs White was in attendance together with her husband Mr Robin White. Mr Bil Johnson, Racing Manager of Yarmouth Stadium was in attendance together with Area Stipendiary Steward, Mr Adrian Smith. In her statement Mrs White said she was at a total loss as to how LOADED DICE had tested positive. She repeated this assertion in her evidence to the Committee and also said that she had made all the enquiries she could to find an explanation. Bil Johnson gave evidence in support of Mrs White stating that the welfare of the dogs in her care was her first priority. Adrian Smith in evidence confirmed that to be the case. The Committee also took evidence from Dr Higgins (IDMA) who stated that prednisolone is a POM-V corticosteroid used mainly for inflammatory and allergic disorders, and sometimes prescribed to treat osteoarthritis and other conditions. Having considered the circumstances of the case and the presence of a banned substance in the dog's urine the Committee ordered that Mrs White be cautioned and fined the sum of £250. In imposing the penalty the Committee took into account that rule 174(i)(b) imposes strict liability and the Committee was not able to determine how prednisolone came to be in the dog’s system. The Committee also took into account the fact that there are no previous breaches recorded against Mrs White and that she was evidently concerned for the welfare and wellbeing of the dogs in her care. 2. *Monmore Green Stadium – DROOPYS AIDAN - Professional Trainer Miss C Price

Professional Trainer Miss Corren Price was found in breach of rules 152 (i), 174 (i) (a) and 217 of the
GBGB rules of racing in that a urine sample taken from the greyhound DROOPYS AIDAN at Monmore
Green Stadium on 3 November 2011 was analysed by LGC Ltd as containing the presence of
prednisolone and that she allowed a substance to be administered that could affect the
performance and/or wel being of the greyhound.
Miss Price apologised for her non-attendance. Mr Richard Brankley General Manager and Mr Tony
Williamson Assistant Racing Manager at Monmore Green Stadium, and Area Stipendiary Steward Mr
Jack Robinson were in attendance.
In her statement Miss Price said she simply could not explain the presence of prednisolone in the
urine sample taken on 3rd November 2011.
The Committee took evidence from Dr Higgins (IDMA) who stated that prednisolone is a POM-V
corticosteroid used mainly for inflammatory and allergic disorders, and sometimes prescribed to
treat osteoarthritis and other conditions.
In the absence of any further evidence from Miss Price and as she had elected not to attend the
Inquiry the Committee having considered the presence of a banned substance in the urine sample
ordered Miss Price to be cautioned and fined the sum of £400.
In reaching their decision the Committee made it clear that it would have preferred that Miss C Price
had attended in person as it might then have been able to consider how the positive sample could
have occurred. In mitigation the Committee noted that there were no previous breaches recorded
against Miss Price.
3.
*Hall Green Stadium – CLONCUNNY MAEVE – Professional Trainer Mr P Clarke

Professional Trainer Mr Paul Clarke was found in breach of rules 152(i) and (ii), 174 (i) (a), 214 and
217 of the GBGB rules of racing in that a urine sample taken from the greyhound CLONCUNNY
MAEVE at Hall Green Stadium on 12 October 2011 was analysed by LGC Ltd as containing the
presence of caffeine, theophyl ine, theobromine and paraxanthine; and that he al owed a substance
to be administered that could affect the performance and/or well being of the greyhound.
Mr Clarke and Mr Robert Coulthard Racing Manager of Hall Green Stadium apologised for their non-
attendance. Area Stipendiary Steward Mr Jack Robinson was in attendance.
In his statement Mr Clarke said he could offer no explanation for the positive result of the urine test. The Committee took evidence from Dr Higgins (IDMA) who stated that the four substances are methylxanthines and that theophyl ine, theobromine and paraxanthine were metabolites. Dr Higgins further stated that caffeine was a stimulant and that the identification of caffeine and three metabolites in the urine indicated that a significant dose of caffeine had been given to the greyhound possibly with the intention of improving its performance. Jack Robinson gave evidence that there had been considerable support for CLONCUNNY MAEVE in the betting markets. The dog opened at 5/2 and started at 7/4 favourite, finishing 5th of 6 in a 480 metre A5 flat race. Having considered the circumstances of the case and the presence of a banned substance in the dog's urine the Committee ordered that Mr Clarke be severely reprimanded and fined the sum of £1,000. In fixing the penalty the Committee noted that a stimulant had been administered to CLONCUNNY MAEVE and that there was considerable support for the dog in the betting market. Further, Mr Clarke did not attend the inquiry to offer any explanation. The Committee gave consideration to the withdrawal of Mr Clarke’s licence, but in light of the fact that there were no previous breaches recorded against him ordered that he be severely reprimanded. The Committee wish to make it clear that any further breaches of this nature may result in the withdrawal of Mr Clarke’s licence. 4. *HALL GREEN STADIUM – WATCHFOR TWIGLET – Professional Trainer Mr S Deakin /
Kennelhand Mr I Girling

Professional Trainer Mr Simon Deakin was found in breach of rules 174 (i) (b), and 217 and
Kennelhand Mr Ian Girling was found in breach of rules 152 (i) and (ii), 174 (i) (a), 174 (iii), 174 (v),
174 (ix), 174 (xi ) (a), and 174 (xiv) (b) of the GBGB rules of racing in that a urine sample taken from
the greyhound WATCHFOR TWIGLET at Hal Green Stadium on 3 October 2011 was analysed by LGC
Ltd as containing the presence of timolol.
Mr Deakin was in attendance. Mr Girling had notice of the inquiry but was not in attendance. Mr
Robert Coulthard, Racing Manager at Hall Green Stadium apologised for his non-attendance. Area
Stipendiary Steward Mr Jack Robinson was in attendance.
Mr Deakin stated that he had been able to offer no explanation for the presence of timolol at the
local enquiry on 7 November 2011, but on 11 November 2011 Jack Robinson had received a
telephone cal from kennelhand Ian Girling who told him that he had administered the drug having
been bribed £200 so to do. Mr Deakin stated that he had known Mr Girling for 25 years since they
had been at school together. He stated that Mr Girling had a drink and gambling problem and he
had given Mr Girling a considerable amount of money over the years.
Mr Girling refused to reveal the identity of the person who gave him the bribe despite been required
to do so by Jack Robinson.
WATCHFOR TWIGLET started at 3/1 and finished 3rd of 6 in a 480m A6 flat race. It recorded a
calculated time of 29.72 seconds as compared to its best time of 29.39 seconds recorded four days
earlier on 28th September. At the local inquiry Mr Deakin accepted that WATCHFOR TWIGLET had
run poorly as had another of his dogs FOXYS RED DEVIL which had run in the same race.
The Committee took evidence from Dr Higgins (IDMA) who stated that timolol is a beta-
adrenoceptor antagonist (beta blocker) which is used in humans to treat high blood pressure and
angina. It is also used for glaucoma. Beta blockers are sometimes known as ‘stoppers’ as they lower
the heart rate and can reduce performance.

Having considered the circumstances of the case and the presence of a banned substance in the
dog's urine the Committee ordered that Mr Deakin be reprimanded and fined the sum of £500 and
that Mr Girling be made a warned off person indefinitely.
In deciding these penalties the Committee considered that in the case of Mr Girling this was a
deliberate administration of a drug for gain which severely undermined the integrity of greyhound
racing and seriously threatened the welfare of the dog.
In Mr Deakin’s case the Committee accepted that timolol was administered by Mr Girling without Mr
Deakin’s knowledge but that as the trainer Mr Deakin was responsible for the dogs in his charge and
the GBGB rules of racing impose strict liability. Mr Deakin was very ill-advised to employ Mr Girling
in any capacity and the fact that he did so made Mr Girling’s breaches of the rules possible. The
Committee took into account the reference that had been sent in support of Mr Deakin by Mr
Coulthard, the racing manager at Hall Green.
5.
HALL GREEN STADIUM
Professional Trainer Mr Simon Deakin was found in breach of rules 152(i) and (ii) and 184B(i) and Mr Ian Woodworth was found in breach of rules 152 (i) and (ii), rules 152(i) and (ii), 174 (v) and 184B(ii) of the GBGB rules of racing into the fact that Mr Deakin had layed bets on two greyhounds in his care and that Mr Woodworth, a kennelhand employed by Mr Deakin, had layed bets on numerous greyhounds in his care. Mr Deakin was in attendance. Mr Woodworth sent his apologies, but explained he could not attend because his wife had given birth that morning. He was content for the inquiry to proceed in his absence. Mr Robert Coulthard Racing Manager at Hall Green Stadium apologised for his non-attendance. Area Stipendiary Steward Mr Jack Robinson was in attendance. Duncan Gibson, Manager of Welfare and Integrity Service gave evidence that following the positive analysis of a urine sample taken from greyhound WATCHFOR TWIGLET an email was sent to Betfair Integrity Department requesting exchange betting information on the 12.04 pm race at Hall Green Stadium. The initial betting analysis did not highlight any suspicious activity on the part of Mr Deakin or Mr Woodworth. A formal request for information was made to Betfair by the GBGB under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This information was shared with the GBGB on 11 November 2011. This revealed that Mr Deakin had layed two greyhounds under his control (AERO FLASH and ROYAL CHAMPION) to lose the sums of £2 and £40 respectively, and that Mr Woodworth had layed a number of greyhounds while under his care as a licensed kennelhand, for sums ranging from £100 to £8. Mr Deakin admitted that he had layed both dogs and stated that he had realised that he was in breach of the rules, but asserted that both instances were a result of human error. He had intended to back the dogs but had pressed the wrong button on his mobile. In his statement Mr Woodworth accepted that he was aware that he should not lay greyhounds in his care, but he said that such bets formed a very small percentage of his total betting activity. He also stated that he had never stopped a greyhound in his life, but he believed that the dogs that he layed had very little chance on form and the way they had been graded. Mr Deakin said that he did not think Mr Woodworth was aware of the seriousness of laying dogs in his care. Having considered the circumstances of the case the Committee ordered that Mr Deakin be cautioned (but not fined as the Committee accepted his explanation that the bets had been accidental) and that Mr Woodworth be made a disqualified person for a period of 18 months and fined the sum of £600. In Mr Deakin’s case the Disciplinary Committee pointed out that it regards any case of a trainer laying dogs in his charge very seriously as tending to undermine the integrity and good reputation of greyhound racing. Having said that the Committee accepted that Mr Deakin had only layed dogs twice and that on both occasions did so through his own carelessness. The Committee was satisfied that Mr Deakin understood the seriousness of the breaches and that he had taken steps to ensure that there was no repetition. The Committee also noted that Mr Deakin had given Jack Robinson every assistance with his enquiries. In Mr Woodworth’s case the Committee found that these were deliberate and intentional breaches of the rules of racing. The Committee regards the laying of dogs in the charge of a licensed kennelhand very seriously as tending to undermine public confidence in the integrity and good reputation of greyhound racing, but the Committee took into account the fact that Mr Woodworth admitted the breaches and that there were no other breaches recorded against him. Given his personal circumstance the Committee made no criticism of his non-attendance at the inquiry.

Source: http://www.gbgb.org.uk/files/DC%20Findings_210212.pdf