BBC victory in High Court disappoints jockey club

Jockey Club officials expressed their "deep disappointment" that information gleaned from their former head of security is going to become public knowledge through "a side-door".

Judge Mr Justice Gray ruled in favour of the BBC Panorama programme in a High Court hearing in London where the Jockey Club were hoping an injunction against former security chief Roger Buffham would be upheld.

Racing’s ruling body was granted the injunction against Buffham on May 31 which bound him to the confidentiality agreement he signed on leaving his post as head of security under a cloud in August last year.

Buffham has been helping the makers of Panorama with their programme concerning allegations of corruption in racing and the BBC returned to court today to gain access to use of certain documents.

The judge decided the move was "in the public interest" because of the "existence, or apparent existence, of widescale corruption within racing" and gave Panorama the go-head to use the documents despite the Jockey Club’s objections.

Christopher Foster, executive director of the Jockey Club, today said: "We are deeply disappointed that parts of a few highly classified intelligence documents stolen by an ex-employee and now a paid consultant to the BBC are able to enter the public domain through a side-door.

"The documents came into the hands of the BBC through breach of contract by Head of Security, Roger Buffham. His employment with the Jockey Club was terminated in September 2001 following a hearing into allegations of gross misconduct.

"As part of a settlement, he agreed to return all Jockey Club material in his possession and not to disclose any confidential information arising from investigations carried out by our Security Department.

"Mr Buffham has broke that legal agreement."

The programme is now likely to be shown early in the new run of Panorama which begins on September 29 and Mike Robinson, editor of the show, was pleased with the outcome of the hearing.

He said: "Panorama has always believed its investigation into corruption in horse racing and whether the Jockey Club has the backbone to regulate the sport and the business of racing is in the public interest.

"We are delighted with today’s High Court decision. This underlines Panorama’s commitment to serious investigative journalism and the BBC’s support for the programme."