Louis Weston successful in BHA disciplinary case against Robbie Dunne. Reasons now published.

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 “foul, sexually abusive and misogynistic language”. The panel found Dunne in breach of four counts of conduct prejudicial to the reputation of horse racing. Three more charges of violent or improper conduct are yet to be considered.

Louis Weston, representing the BHA, said in his closing remarks that Dunne subjected Frost to a “vendetta” and that her treatment by colleagues since her complaint had been “outrageous”. He also highlighted the “foul, sexually abusive and misogynistic language” towards Frost.

Brian Barker QC, the panel’s chair, said that Dunne was guilty of “distasteful targeting, deliberate harassment on and off track, and occasional cases of dangerous bullying” and that the panel had “real concern” about the weighing-room culture, which he said was “deep-rooted and coercive”.

The BHA welcomed the panel’s decision calling it “ground-breaking” a possible catalyst for change within the industry.

Reasons for the decision

The BHA’s Judicial Panel has since published its reasons for finding Robbie Dunne in breach of the Rules in relation to his conduct towards Bryony Frost.  The reasons can be found here, on the Judicial Panel Results page.  

This case generated a considerable discussion within racing and beyond as it represents the first in which a participant in racing’s complaints as to the conduct of a fellow jockey have been found to be in breach of the Rules and has led to both the BHA and PJA and other interested bodies finding a common response and Code of Conduct.

Read their response here:
https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/british-racing-unites-in-commitment-around-industry-conduct/

Find out more

Louis Weston is a leading junior that has specialised in sports law for over 12 years. Louis has a successful and established practice in Sports Regulation, Governance, Disciplinary Cases, Safeguarding and Anti-Doping, acting and advising Sports Governing Bodies and Players in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Louis has appeared in many of the leading cases in the UK involving corruption in sport and has acted for and advised national and international sports regulatory bodies across a range of sports. Louis acts for sports governing bodies, athletes and their representatives in anti-doping, match fixing and corruption and in on field disputes and appeals as well as in civil actions arising out of sport including commercial and personal injury disputes.

He advises sports governing bodies in the UK and internationally on their governance the regulation of sport and sporting disputes and drafts and advises on the structure of rules and regulations and the structure and methods of policing sports related corruption.

To find out more, contact Paul Barton on +44 (0)20 7427 4907 or Ben Fitzgerald +44 (0)20 3758 4759 for a confidential discussion.

News 6 Jan, 2022