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Towcester chief Ackerman fails in corruption appeal

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Kevin Ackerman: banned from the sport for six months

Kevin Ackerman: banned from racing for six months

 By Jack Haynes 4:15PM 6 JAN 2016 

TOWCESTER chief executive Kevin Ackerman on Wednesday failed in his appeal against a six-month corruption ban, falling “well short of establishing merit in his grounds of appeal” according to the findings of a BHA appeal board.

The same comment was applied to jockey Michael Stainton, professional gambler and owner David Greenwood and professional gambler Kenneth MacKay, who similarly failed to reverse their respective convictions in the long-running case surrounding Ad Vitam.

Ackerman will be excluded from the sport from January 6 until June 11, having already served 25 days before he was granted a stay pending the results of the appeal, although the original £5,000 fine incurred by the Towcester chief was quashed.

Not the end of it

However, the case looks likely to rumble on, with Ackerman, Greenwood and MacKay considering their next step.

Stewart Moore solicitors, acting for the trio, said in a statement: “Messrs Ackerman, Greenwood and Mackay have not acted in breach of the rules of racing in any way.

“Unfortunately, in a 40-page judgement, the appeal panel barely address the central arguments of the appeals at all. Needless to say, this is extremely disappointing given the effort and expense that our clients have gone to to establish their innocence.

“Our clients are considering this morning’s decision and have not yet had an opportunity of deciding their next steps. This firm considers that this matter needs to be resolved by a high court judge.”

Initial corruption hearing

The initial corruption hearing centred on Ad Vitam’s races between November 2011 and March 2012, in which the BHA disciplinary panel found Stainton and Greenwood conspired to run Ad Vitam down the field so that Greenwood could bet on him to win when the horse was allowed to run on his merits.

Ackerman wagered £8,260 laying the Greenwood-owned Ad Vitam in races at Kempton and Wolverhampton, having become aware the horse was likely to run down the field in those contests, according to the disciplinary panel.

Bans upheld

After failing in their appeals, Stainton will be disqualified until October 11 2017, though is set to have a separate appeal considered in due course, while Greenwood is disqualified until October 2023 after his eight-year ban remained in place.

MacKay’s six-month ban was also upheld and he is disqualified until April 11 this year.

‘Never worth taking the risk’

Adam Brickell, director of integrity, legal and risk for the BHA, said: “This has been a wide-ranging and complex case. It has been time consuming and resource intensive over a substantial period of time, but that investment is more than justified if it is necessary to address issues such as this, which strike at the very integrity of our sport.

“This case serves as a reminder that the BHA is able to identify corrupt practices, and is committed to investigating such activity, however complex or difficult that investigation might be. If breaches are proved, the penalties can be severe.

“However tempting the potential rewards might be, it is quite simply never worth taking the risk of getting involved in this type of activity.”

 

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