SA greyhound trainers fined, banned for life after an investigation into live baiting
An Adelaide greyhound trainer and his two sons have been fined and banned for life after an investigation into the use of live rabbits in training.
SA News
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Three greyhound trainers have been given maximum fines in South Australia’s first confirmed live baiting case.
Troy Murray and sons Connor and Jackson have also been banned from training in Australia and New Zealand, effective immediately.
This comes after an investigation by Greyhound Racing South Australia’s Integrity Department and the RSPCA and a raid of their Lewiston premises in August 2022.
The investigation entailed an unprecedented legal move, in which Greyhound Racing SA applied to the Supreme Court for an order under the Surveillance Devices Act, to allow vision of the baiting using live rabbits to be used.
GRSA used the videos as evidence to prove the live baiting occurred at the Bethesda Rd property.
A meeting, brought before the Integrity Hearings Panel, found all three trainers guilty of nine charges raised under the Greyhounds Australasia Rules.
Grantley Stevens, GRSA chair, said they “welcome the decision handed down”.
“This is the first case of live baiting ever confirmed in South Australia and this outcome should send the strongest possible message about how seriously we take the integrity of our sport,” he said.
Each trainer has been ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 for each offence – the maximum fine allowable.
Troy Murray was fined a total of $80,000, while Connor Murray was fined $60,000 and Jackson Murray $40,000.
Bodelle Francis, GRSA chief executive officer, said the matter has challenged the industry.
“I am extremely proud of how our team has prosecuted this issue and how the greyhound community has been united in its condemnation of this abhorrent practice,” she said.
“From first receiving the anonymous tip off about allegations of live baiting to advising the RSPCA and jointly raiding the premises took less than 24 hours, which is testament to the professionalism of our Integrity Department.”
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