One of the country's best-known greyhound trainers, Paul Hennessy, has been fined €4,200 and ordered to pay €800 in expenses after pleading guilty to seven charges of possessing illegal performance-enhancing "remedies".
The prosecution was brought by the Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Agriculture and Food following a visit by veterinary inspectors to Mr Hennessy's premises at Rathvawn, Garryduff, Gowran, Co Kilkenny.
Brian Kilgallen, a veterinary inspector, gave evidence to Kilkenny District Court yesterday that he had visited Mr Hennessy on April 28th, 2005, and asked to see his animal remedies.
He seized a number of products on suspicion that they might be unauthorised and cautioned Mr Hennessy, who was "helpful" during the visit.
Mr Kilgallen described the seven substances he had found in Mr Hennessy's possession, "contrary to the Animal Remedies Act 1993".
They were:
• Dada 250 - a vasodilator that increases the blood flow to the heart and skeletal muscles;
• Tridenosen - a more potent version of Dada 250 that can double the blood flow to the heart and muscles;
•Mepivicaine - a local anaesthetic that is not authorised in any product in Ireland. Its Irish authorised equivalent can only be used by a vet in, for example, minor surgery. The product's illegal use is to mask minor injuries and to prevent a dog feeling pain;
• Cophos B - a phosphorus and Vitamin B12 injection. Phosphorus and vitamin B12 "improve the muscle function of athletic animals";
• Caforta - a phosphorus injection;
• Folic acid Vitamin B12 injection - to supplement red blood cell generation;
• Haemo 15 - a general injectable multi-vitamin booster.
Mr Gerry Kelly, solicitor for Mr Hennessy, told the court that his client was one of the "premier trainers in the country"; that last year alone some 2,600 greyhounds trained by him had run races; and that "he never had a dog that failed a dope test of any sort".
Mr Kelly said his client had bought all the products through an Australian internet site, Naturevet.com; that his client was not aware that the products were unauthorised in Ireland; and that there had been no attempt at concealment.
Judge William Harnett said Mr Hennessy was "a very prominent person" and should have been aware that "you don't buy remedies off the internet".
Mr Kelly agreed that his client had been "a little reckless" in not checking if the products were authorised by the Irish Medicines Board.
The judge asked Mr Kelly if he agreed that these were "performance-enhancing substances" and Mr Kelly replied that "they are enhancing to the extent that any vitamin is performance-enhancing" and that "they would not show up in any dope test".
The judge fined Mr Hennessy €600 on each of the seven charges and ordered him to pay €800 towards the expenses incurred by the veterinary inspectors.