Jockey 'had 14 winners before arrest'
Jockey Darren Williams had 14 winners in the month before his arrest for throwing races, the Old Bailey was told today.
Williams earned 10% of the £59,661 (€83,235) he made for stables, plus extra money for being placed in second and third place, the jury was told.
The prosecution allege Williams was involved in a plot with fellow jockeys Kieren Fallon and Fergal Lynch to lose races to enable a betting syndicate to win money.
Williams was seen meeting professional gambler Miles Rodgers in a pub when a white envelope was allegedly pushed along the table.
The following day, September 1 2004, Williams was arrested and a white envelope was found under his mattress with £580 (€809) in cash on a bedside table.
James Sturman, QC, defending Williams, asked Acting Detective Inspector Mark Manning whether he had tried to mislead the jockey about an earlier meeting when it was suggested the same incident had taken place.
Mr Manning said the suggestion during an interview “was strictly not factually correct”.
Mr Manning said he could not confirm Williams’ earnings, but said he knew jockeys got a percentage of winnings.
Earlier, the court was told telephone records showed Fallon, a six-time champion jockey, was contacted a number of times by footballer Michael Owen and others for tips.
On August 25 2004, Owen texted Fallon about a race. Fallon replied: “Plum will win the 4.40 if it goes on the ground.”
Fallon went on to win on Plum and received a text back from Owen. Fallon replied “Cheers”, the court heard.
Questioned about the texts and phone calls on Fallon’s phone, Mr Manning said: “We have never doubted he passes tips to other people.
“We are not saying Kieren Fallon has done anything wrong in conveying information.”
Fallon told police in interview that the England and Newcastle footballer asked him for tips daily.
The prosecution alleged that there had been eleven contacts between Fallon and Philip Sherkle, a man said to have acted as a middleman with Rodgers, on one day.
But Mr Manning was asked by Fallon’s QC, John Kelsey-Fry, to accept that there had only been one successful contact, a text message.
Mr Manning replied: “That would appear to be the case.”
Six men deny plotting to prevent 27 horses from racing on their merits, thereby defrauding punters.
Jockeys Fallon, 42, formerly of Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, but now of Tipperary; Fergal Lynch, 29, of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire; and Darren Williams, 29, of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, deny the conspiracy between December 2002 and August 2004.
Lynch’s brother, Shaun Lynch, 38, of Belfast; professional gambler Miles Rodgers, 38, of Silkstone, South Yorkshire; and barman Philip Sherkle, 42, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, also plead not guilty.
Rodgers also denies concealing the proceeds of crime. All the defendants are on bail.
