A HIGH Court judge has ruled that actor Vinnie Jones and two other members of a greyhound-owning syndicate are entitled to full details relating to the storage of a sample taken from their winning greyhound, Boavista, prior to an inquiry arising from its failing a drug test.
The proceedings by the syndicate against the Irish Coursing Club arose from its decision to hold an inquiry after Boavista failed a drug test at Limerick Greyhound track in February 2006. As a result of the failed test, the €80,000 purse for the race, the JP McManus Irish Cup, was frozen, but all winning bets were paid out.
The syndicate comprises Jones, greyhound trainer Pat Curtin and Denis Gould, a bookie. Mr Curtin’s sister Bridget, the handler of Boavista, is also an applicant in the claim that they were not afforded proper procedures by the ICC in relation to the inquiry, and that the ICC did not provide full disclosure of the allegations against them.
The ICC argues that Ms Curtin was present during the testing, but waived the right to a split sample.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Daniel Herbert said the applicants were entitled to disclosure of the times and details of the storage of the samples at the laboratory.
On the application for the ICC to make “full disclosure of all documents” in their possession regarding the alleged incident, the judge said he was satisfied on the evidence that the alleged reason for seeking such general disclosure no longer existed and went far beyond what fair procedures would require.