Cop tells court he ‘saw horses being tortured’ at Darren Weir’s stables

A Melbourne Cup-winning trainer is accused of using electric shocks on three prize thoroughbreds in a scandal that rocked the racing world.

A police officer told a court he saw horses being tortured in secret footage captured at a Melbourne Cup-winning trainer’s stables.

Star trainer Darren Weir, 50, is accused of subjecting three prize thoroughbreds to electric shocks while they ran on a treadmill on October 30, 2018 at his Warrnambool stables.

Also facing charges are workers at the stables Jarrod McLean, William Hernan, and Tyson Kermond.

Victoria Police detective Senior Constable Cliff Pickett told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday the footage showed animal cruelty.

Darren Weir with jockey Michelle Payne after a horse he trained, Prince of Penzance, won the 2015 Melbourne Cup. Picture: AP Photo/Andy Brownbill

Police secretly filmed Mr Weir’s Warrnambool stables from October 25 to November 13 and also filmed his Ballarat stables for almost two weeks, defence lawyer Ian Hill QC said.

Mr Hill said the cameras were operating continuously in those periods and did not capture any other “untoward” footage of the horses being trained.

“Apart from one occasion, when I saw them being tortured,” the police officer replied.

He said Mr Weir said to police he loved horses and told them, “I do not train for the punt.”

Sen-Constable Pickett also revealed secretly recorded phone conversations were used in the investigation.

Mr McLean, a trainer who worked for Mr Weir, was recorded discussing “the jigger” in a conversation with another man, transcripts used in Wednesday’s hearing revealed.

Jarrod McLean leaves the County Court of Victoria in February. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

The 39-year-old also said Mr Weir “did him on the treddy (treadmill)” in reference to a horse, the transcript showed.

But his lawyer Jason Gullaci said he had been “taken entirely out of context” and the phrases were referencing matters other than using electric shocks on horses.

Mr Weir is facing 11 charges including six counts of committing an act of cruelty against an animal when he allegedly used an electric current device on racehorses Yogi, Red Cardinal, and Tosen Basil.

Mr McLean is facing 16 charges and Mr Kermond eight.

Mr Hernan is facing one charge of using corrupt conduct information to place a bet on one of the horses.

They will next appear in court in October.