Racing: Integrity unit appeals JCA penalty

Integrity chief Cameron George. Photo / Martin Sykes

The Racing Integrity Unit is appealing the severity of the sentence resulting in a charge it brought itself.

RIU charged the official lure driver at the Palmerston North greyhounds, Tim Pilcher, with illegal betting as an official.

Pilcher was found to have placed two bets when operating the lure at a Manawatu meeting.

There was no possibility of him affecting the result of either race, nor was any implied, but it is against the rules to bet when serving as an official.

The RIU recommended to the Judicial Control Authority that heard the case a monetary penalty of around $1000, but the JCA saw fit to disqualify Pilcher for five years.

Integrity chief Cameron George told the Weekend Herald yesterday he sees no conflict of interest in his unit appealing a sentence it deems excessive. "We are all about appropriate penalties and we feel this one is not appropriate."

George said he understood Pilcher may be appealing himself, in which case the RIU would probably withdraw its appeal.

You are left wondering what penalty may have been imposed in this case if Pilcher had tried to rort the results.