Darren Weir will contest charges in online court hearing
Disgraced Melbourne Cup winning trainer Darren Weir and associates will fight charges of conspiracy to defraud and animal torture in a “bold” online court hearing.
Police & Courts
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Melbourne Cup winning trainer Darren Weir will fight charges of conspiracy to defraud and animal torture via an online court hearing next month.
In the “bold venture” to have court matters dealt with virtually due to coronavirus restrictions, Weir and his three co-accused racing figures will be beamed into the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court as they attempt to have the case against them thrown out.
In a brief hearing on Wednesday, lawyers for the disqualified trainer, his former assistant trainer Jarrod McLean and stablehand Tyson Kermond indicted they would make “no case” submissions in relation to the main charge of conspiring to cheat and defraud Racing Victoria stewards between October 24 and November 17, 2018.
The trio is also accused of “torturing, overworking, abusing and terrifying” horses by allegedly striking them with a conducted energy devices while the animals worked – blinkered – on treadmills.
It is alleged two prominent horses – Red Cardinal and Yogi – were struck by Mr McLean with poly pipes and electrical devices during the 2018 Melbourne spring carnival.
A fourth man, former jockey William Hernan, is charged with putting a $50 bet on Yogi during a race on November 2 in a bid to win $600, allegedly using information Mr McLean passed to him about the illegal training regimen.
The men face a combined total of 34 charges.
Lawyer Jason Gullaci, for Mr McLean, told the court delays to Victoria’s justice system might mean his client’s trial isn’t heard until early 2023.
Magistrate Ronald Saines granted the application for the contested committal to be conducted via the Online Magistrates Court commencing in a fortnight but flagged “reservations” about the virtual hearing.
“Over the last several weeks and months there have been a number of occasions where internet connections have dropped out,” Mr Saines said.
“If we were plagued by those problems it would run the two days off the rails,”
“It’s certainly a bold venture but can only succeed if we give it a go,” Mr Saines said.
Seven witnesses, including Racing Victoria’s chairman of stewards Robert Cram and several police officers, will be cross-examined during the two-day hearing.
Mr Weir could be seen watching the proceedings from his home computer.
The matter will return to court on September 8.
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