News & Events
News & Events
Two of Outer Temple’s specialist sports barristers, Louis Weston and Samuel Cuthbert, have been published in the Sports Integrity section of the LawInSport Yearbook 2022 on betting and corruption. The chapter identifies and reviews some of the notable cases and events in 2022 and discusses what trends might be drawn from them. This year, Louis Weston was joined by Samuel Cuthbert to review the topic of betting and corruption. As memories of the empty stadiums caused by COVID 19 have faded, the sporting calendar has found its feet once more. Like night follows day, with more professional sport has come more corruption, match manipulation and the detection and prosecution of cases left hovering by inability to travel and interview. This…
Legal Blog & Publications, News, Sports, Sports 7 Mar, 2023
You are invited to join Outer Temple Chambers and guests for an evening of talks around Integrity in Sport on Thursday 27th April 2023. This event will be held at Outer Temple Chambers and booking is required. Louis Weston will be joined by fellow OTC sports barrister, Samuel Cuthbert, Alastair Campbell of Level Law and Aja Hall of British Horseracing Authority to discuss: Integrity through technology Assessing outcomes in football betting cases Why betting evidence matters and the problems in obtaining that evidence The event will be chaired, with occasional observations, by Louis Weston. The discussions will be followed by networking drinks in Chambers. Book your place This event will be held in-person at Outer Temple Chambers. Places are limited…
Samuel Cuthbert recently acted for Motorsport UK in a multi-day inquest at Norfolk Coroners Court into the death of Angela Lucas. Angela Lucas was fatally injured, and died of severe head injuries during an endurance race at Snetterton Race Circuit. The jury found that the buckle of Mrs Lucas’ harness was not correctly located and if the buckle had been correctly located in line with the FIA regulations, it would not have been possible for the turnbuckle to be activated. The Coroner did not issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report. Motorsport UK said “This tragic accident is a stark reminder of the need to ensure that motorsport regulations are complied with and that safety equipment – in particular harnesses…
Former horseracing jockey Danny Brock faces a lengthy ban after the British Horseracing Authority instructed sports law specialist Louis Weston in this complicated race fixing case. The case The British Horseracing Authority’s independent disciplinary panel decided the fate of former jockey Danny Brock on Tuesday 17 January, issuing a ban after deciding he had deliberately stopped horses in three races. Louis Weston, aided by Tomás Nolan, a senior regulatory lawyer at BHA, argued that Brock was responsible for ‘fixing’ three races in 2018 and 2019 along with five other individuals including Sean McBride. There were a series of large bets staked and Louis relied on detailed analysis of videos and betting patterns after a widespread refusal by the respondents to…
Outer Temple’s Alex Haines was instructed to provide expert advice on the sale of Chelsea FC and the implications of Russian sanctions imposed on club. Alex Haines – member of the Attorney General’s Civil Panel and Outer Temple’s specialist sanctions team – was instructed by the legal team at Her Majesty’s Treasury to advise on the sale of Chelsea Football Club and the proceeds thereof in light of the designation of its former owner, Roman Abramovich, under Russia sanctions. On 10 March 2022, Mr Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government and, as a result, the Club operated within the confines and constraints caused by the imposition of sanctions. The sanctions imposed on Mr Abramovich presented unique and unforeseen challenges…
Business Crime, News, Sports 29 Jun, 2022
An Independent Appeal Committee has upheld a decision relating to breaches of player eligibility in an appeal lodged by the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER). Louis Weston acted pro bono to advise the accused rugby player who was subject to the allegations of fraud and dishonesty. Louis Weston, Head of the OTC Sports Law Group, acted pro bono along with Olivia Amos of Northridge Law. They advised a rugby player who was subject to allegations of fraud and dishonesty by the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER), in it’s appeal against the decision of World Rugby’s Judicial Committee to dock points for fielding an ineligible player in World Cup Qualification. On the appeal FER, having contested the opposite at first instance when the…
Louis Weston recently acted for the British Horseracing Authority in the prosecution of two men charged with doping a horse at Newcastle Racecourse, resulting in 10 years disqualification and a nominal fine for the faultless trainer. The British Horseracing Authority instructed Head of the Sports Law Team, Louis Weston, to act on their behalf at the hearing of Neil Waggot and Stephen Walker, two stable hands employed by Newcastle Racecourse. The hearing centred around alleged doping of horses in 2018. Ladies First was a favourite to win at Newcastle but was well beaten by 22 lengths and later tested positive for Timolol, a beta blocker. CCTV footage showed Waggot and Walker acting suspiciously and appearing to administer something to the…
Professional horseracing jockey Freddie Tylicki brought a Personal Injury Action for liability only against his fellow jockey, Graham Gibbons after a collision at Kempton in 2016 caused severe and life changing injuries. Louis Weston explains why this case is of interest to the sport. The Background The core issue of the legal dispute concerned the standard of care to be taken by a jockey racing in a competitive environment and, specifically, whether on this occasion the Defendant’s riding fell below that standard of care. The parties agreed that the standard was set in the case of Caldwell v Maguire [2001] EWCA Civ 1054 and that in particular it should be recognised that liability for sporting errors could not be established…
Louis Weston acted for the British Horseracing Authority in the disciplinary case against Robbie Dunne which resulted in an 18 month ban for bullying and harassment of Bryony Frost. The full reasons for the decision have now been published alongside a statement from the major stakeholders in the sport. Louis Weston represented the British Horseracing Authority at a disciplinary panel which decided today that jockey Robbie Dunne should receive an 18 month ban for acting in a violent or improper manner towards Britain’s most successful female rider, Bryony Frost, and acting in a way prejudicial to the sport. The disciplinary panel heard from Louis Weston that Robbie threatened to cause fellow rider Bryony serious physical harm and that he used…
Louis Weston acts for the BHA in the disciplinary case against Robbie Dunne relating to alleged bullying and harassment of Bryony Frost. Robbie Dunne appeared in front of a British Horse Racing panel on Tuesday 30th November 2021 to face allegations of acting in a violent or improper manner towards Britain’s most successful female rider, Bryony Frost, and acting in a way prejudicial to the sport. Robbie is charged with abusing, harassing and intimidating Bryony. The disciplinary panel has heard from Louis Weston that Robbie threatened to cause fellow ride Bryony serious physical harm and using “foul, sexually abusive and misogynistic language”. The jockey is accused of breaching two British Horseracing Authority rules in relation to each event at Uttoxeter,…
Convicted paedophile Barry Bennell, is to give evidence for the first time, in the ongoing trial against Manchester City FC. James Counsell QC and Ben Bradley continue to act in this ongoing trial for eight victims. On Tuesday 30 November, Manchester City FC will open its case, relying on evidence from the perpetrator himself, Barry Bennell. Bennell is serving a 34-year prison sentence for around 90 separate sexual offences perpetrated against children. Bennell is likely to say that he played no part in Manchester City FC’s youth operations. The case will be the first time that Bennell has ever given live evidence about the circumstances surrounding his crimes; having elected not to give evidence (despite, at times, entering not guilty…
News, Personal Injury, Sports 29 Nov, 2021
James Counsell QC and Ben Bradley represent eight victims in the High Court, seeking damages from Manchester City FC after suffering sexual abuse from one of the country’s most prolific sex offenders. James and Ben represent eight claimants who were subjected to sexual abuse by Barry Bennell whilst they were playing for Manchester City FC junior or ‘feeder teams’. These teams were set up by the Defendant, Manchester City FC, for the purpose of seeking to recruit a steady source of highly talented young footballers who were then of an age (under 14) when they could not be formally signed up to schoolboy contracts. James told the Court that Barry Bennell was recruited by the Defendant to scout promising young…
News, Personal Injury, Sports 25 Oct, 2021
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