Jumps jockey Brian Constable in jail after admitting he harassed ex-wife while drunk, high on pills
A star Victorian jumps jockey who had a stellar career winning a swag of big races — including two Flemington Grand Nationals — turned to booze and prescription pills after injuries took a toll and he lost his leg. He then unloaded on his former partner.
South East
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A star jockey whose life spiralled into a haze of booze and prescription pills after having his leg amputated is now behind bars.
Brian Constable admitted to bombarding his ex-wife with disparaging and abusive messages in a series of text tirades about her care of their son.
The 56-year-old was arrested and remanded in custody in August and has already spent more than a month in jail.
Now he will have to spend another two weeks inside before he is sentenced.
Constable had a litany of injuries throughout his successful career, including 230 wins and 367 places from nearly 1500 starts, before he retired in 2009.
He has won a majority of the big jumps races in this country, including two Flemington Grand Nationals and the gruelling 5500m Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase.
His three decades of riding came at a high physical cost, with the hoop suffering serious injuries in falls including a broken neck, pelvis and collarbones, spine fractures and a punctured lung and liver.
He had an ongoing problem with his right leg after a horse fell on his knee, and in 2016 an infection became so bad the limb had to be amputated.
Things went downhill for him from then on and earlier this year his drinking and addiction to painkillers took hold.
On Wednesday Constable pleaded guilty at the online Frankston Magistrates’ Court to using a carriage service to harass, and breaching bail.
The court heard over the past few months he would text his former wife almost daily about their son.
He sent a litany of random messages, some abusive, saying she was “raving”, “controlling”, “a joke”, “out on the prowl” and a “disgusting” person.
When he was interviewed Constable admitted sending the barrage of texts saying he was upset, frustrated and concerned about his son’s welfare.
His defence lawyer said at the time of the offending Constable had significant alcohol and prescription medication abuse problems.
He said since January this year he had been drinking a bottle of vodka or other spirits and taking a full packet of OxyContin each day.
He said Constable’s life was “spiralling out of control” and he self-medicated to try and deal with his problems and isolation due to the lockdown situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said his client required treatment and rehabilitation which he was not getting while being held on remand.
He said he has been in custody for the last 35 days and should be given a combination sentence of time he has already served followed by a community corrections order.
Magistrate Charles Tan remanded Constable in custody for a corrections assessment and he will be sentenced on October 8.
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