1. On 12 December 2013, the Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) held an enquiry into allegations that Scott Townshend, a part owner in LAUREATE DES LOGES (FR) and the owner of CADORE, was in breach of Rule (E)92.2 in respect of his laying to lose LAUREATE DES LOGES (FR) in the Join Now at Rewards4racing.com Handicap Hurdle at Carlisle on 18 December 2011 and CADORE in the John Wade Waste Recycling Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (John Wade Novices’ Hurdle Series Final) at Sedgefield on 3 April 2012.
2. The Panel heard evidence from BHA and acknowledged that Scott Townshend had accepted the charges against him and asked that the matter be concluded in his absence.
3. The Panel noted that on 12 September 2011, a betting account in the name of Derek Townshend, Scott Townshend’s father, was opened with Betfair. The applicant provided Derek Townshend’s name and date of birth, however the email address and mobile telephone number belonged to Scott Townshend.
4. BHA Investigating Officers arranged an interview with Derek Townshend, but Scott Townshend telephoned BHA in advance to inform them that his father was no longer willing to be interviewed but that he was willing to be interviewed instead. During the same telephone conversation he claimed that he had nothing to do with his father’s Betfair account and that he did not bet.
5. During the interview Scott Townshend confirmed that his father did not possess a mobile telephone and that the email and telephone number attached to the Betfair account were his. Despite the fact that the lay bets in question were placed via a mobile telephone Scott Townshend continued to assert that the bets were placed by his father. His account given to the Investigating Officers was also not consistent with the betting patterns and information provided by Betfair.
6. The Panel noted that Scott Townshend had since admitted breaches of Rule (E)92.2 in that it was him rather than his father who had placed the lay bets on LAUREATE DES LOGES (FR) and CADORE via Betfair, risking £367.41 to win £372.79 and £331.55 to win £307.37 respectively.
7. Noting that the entry point penalty for a breach of Rule (E)92.2 was 18 months, and taking into account the way Scott Townshend conducted himself initially in an attempt to mask culpability by stating that he did not bet and that his father had placed the lay bets, the Panel disqualified him for 2 years from today until 11 December 2015 inclusive.
