Adrian McGuinness fined over animal remedies

Horse trainer Adrian McGuinness has been fined a total of €2,500 and convicted on six charges relating to possession of unauthorised animal remedies.

Passing sentence at Swords District Court yesterday Judge Dermot Dempsey accepted argument from defence counsel Ray Comyn SC that the offences were “at the lower end” of activities relating to the possession of unauthorised animal remedies.

In a submission before sentence Mr Comyn told the court the convictions were “a blemish on a fine record” and would lead to “very serious matters” from a reputational point of view. The convictions were “of great significance” to Mr McGuinness’s livelihood, he told the judge.

Animal remedies

Evidence was also given by champion race horse trainer Noel Meade that the animal remedies found in a search of Mr McGuinness’s stables were “aspirin” compared with substances such as anabolic steroids which had caused previous scandal to others in the racing industry.

Mr McGuinness was convicted on possession of unauthorised medicines Cyanocobalamin, Ana Sed, Colvasone and Vita 15 without an animal remedies licence under the European Communities (Control of Animal Remedies and their Residues) Regulations 2007.

He was also convicted on two charges of possession of Pro Dynam and phenylarthrite. Pro Dynam and phenylarthrite are authorised remedies but can only be acquired on a vet’s prescription, which the court was told Mr McGuinness did not produce.

Veterinary inspector Louis Reardon of the Department of Agriculture’s special investigations unit said he and fellow investigator Brendan Daly arrived at Mr McGuinness’s premises, Skylark House, Hayestown, Lusk, Co Dublin on June 4th, 2014. He told the court Mr McGuinness was not present at the time. They discovered unlicensed animal remedies in Mr McGuinness’s office.