This article is from page 18 of the 2007-10-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
THE trial of jockey Kieren Fallon, who is accused of race fixing has heard the Ballinruan native was part of a plot to throw races to make mon- ey for a crooked betting syndicate.
The opening day of his trial at the Old Bailey yesterday heard allega- tions that businessman Miles Rodg- ers bet £2.12m (€3m) on various internet accounts that 27 horses – rid- den by Fallon and two other jockeys – would lose.
Fallon stood in the dock yesterday. It’s alleged he was involved, with others, in a conspiracy between De- cember 2002 and September 2004 to defraud Betfair customers and other punters. All deny the charges
Jonathan Caplan, QC, prosecuting, said it would be alleged that one of the accused, Miles Rodgers (38) of Silkstone, South Yorkshire had been tipped off by the riders just before the various races. Seventeen of the horses were ridden by Fallon. But he won five of the races, losing the syn- dicate around half-a-million pounds, said Caplan.
The day after a race at Newmar- ket on July 23, 2004, there was an exchange of text messages between Fallon and Philip Sherkle (42) of Tamworth Staffordshire, said to be the go-between.
The court heard that Fallon texted, “They will take my licences off me if they drift like that last night. They PROM cKO) OUNOTSAN DOC om
On July 27, Sherkle wrote, “I am away weds morning just text as nor- mal make sure u do please I don’t want any grief from them when I get back thanks.”
An undated message from Fallon to Sherkle read, “no, I can’t chance it”’.
Mr Caplan said Rodgers’ records showed Fallon’s losses for the syndi- cate were £436.579.
Mr Caplan said there was no evi- dence that Fallon ever received any money or benefit from Rodgers or anyone else connected with the con- spiracy. But it was the prosecution case that he held himself accountable for losses that cost the conspirators about £500,000.
The trial continues today and is ex- pected to last several months.