Jockey Robbie Dunne has been found guilty of bullying and harassing fellow rider Bryony Frost over a seven-month period.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) found Dunne in breach of four charges of conduct prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of racing, including bullying and harassing Frost between February 13, 2020 and September 3, 2020.
Dunne had faced a total of seven charges, admitting one charge of acting in a violent or improper manner towards Frost, and the BHA is yet to confirm the outcome of the remaining two charges.
A decision on a penalty for Dunne will follow. He could face a maximum ban of three years after the four guilty verdicts.
The majority of the incidents in question took place in 2020, when Dunne was found by the panel to have threatened Frost by promising to “put her through a wing (of a fence)” and he was also accused of using misogynistic language such as “f****** w***e”, “f****** s**t” and “dangerous c***” towards her.
An independent three-person panel, chaired by Brian Barker QC, is set to hear submissions on penalties by the BHA and Dunne’s legal team shortly.
More to follow…
‘Dunne verdict a severe indictment on weighing room culture’
Journalist Paul Hayward feels the BHA’s ruling will have far wider implications on the National Hunt weighing room, highlighting panel chair Barker’s comments on its “deep-rooted” and “coercive” nature.
Hayward told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s a huge outcome for the weighing room and National Hunt racing. This goes far beyond the specific instances of Robbie Dunne harassing and bullying Bryony Frost.
“Beyond that, there is a severe indictment of the whole National Hunt weighing room culture being laid down today.
“Brian Barker, the panel chair, called the weighing room culture deep-rooted and coercive.
“Yesterday, in his summing up, Louis Weston, the BHA’s representative, described a ‘vendetta’ and talked of a ‘rancid’ culture.
“There will be jump jockeys reeling today from all the implications that come with this verdict.”