First undercover photos released at Fallon trial

THE first undercover pictures of the men accused of a £2 million race-fixing scam involving Kieren Fallon were released yesterday.

The surveillance pictures show alleged syndicate boss Miles Rodgers meeting an Irish businessman who had flown in from Spain and then travelling to Newmarket, where Fallon lived.

The images were shown to the jury at the Old Bailey where six-times champion jockey Fallon, Rodgers and four other men deny conspiring to fix races to make horses lose so they could win on bets.

The prosecution has alleged that Fallon angered a crooked betting syndicate run by Rodgers after he won the Lockinge Stakes on Russian Rhythm on May 15, 2004, instead of losing.

Jonathan Caplan, QC, said that following a concerted effort to confront Fallon, Dublin-based Daniel Kinahan, flew into Leeds Bradford Airport on May 26 and was met by Rodgers.

Mr Kinahan, who the court has been told was not accused of involvement in the conspiracy, was driven to the West Park Hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, by Rodgers and joined by Shaun Lynch and Philip Sherkle. Later, Lynch and Rodgers met at a nearby hotel, the Majestic, where Lynch is alleged to have texted Fallon. The court was told they were joined by Lynch’s brother, jockey Fergal Lynch, and they all left together.

Darryll Holland became the first jockey to give evidence in the case yesterday.

He was called to tell the court about an incident at Leicester on May 18.

He said he was due to give Fallon and fellow jockey Seb Sanders a lift to Newmarket in his private plane after racing at Leicester racecourse.

The taxi booked to take them to the local airport failed to turn up and as Mr Holland looked for it, Fallon told him they could get a lift in another car. But during the 10-minute ride there was no conversation, Mr Holland told the jury.

Mr Holland said: “Normally when you get in the car, you are introduced. I think it was a bit strange but nobody spoke to me and I did not speak to them.”

When they left the car after arriving at the airport, Mr Holland said he looked back and saw Fallon speaking to the two men.

“It was a matter of seconds,” he said. “I said to him ‘come on mate, we have got to get back’.”

Mr Holland was asked if he thought Fallon knew the men.

He provoked laughter in court when he replied: “I am not 100% sure if he knew them but you are taught at an early age not to get into cars with strangers so I assume he knew them.”

The prosecution say the two men in the Mercedes were Rodgers and Shaun Lynch and that they were attempting to speak to Fallon following his win on Russian Rhythm.

It is alleged that the six defendants were involved in a conspiracy with others between December 2002 and September 2004 to defraud online betting exchange Betfair customers and other punters by plotting to fix 27 races.

The trial was adjourned to today.