Brodie Burgess And Narelle Mulcahy Fined Following Bundaberg Incident
Racing Queensland (RQ) Stewards today inquired into complaints lodged by licensed trainer Ms Narelle Mulcahy and Mr Bill Samuel (licensed attendant) regarding the alleged conduct of another licensed attendant Mr Brodie Burgess following the race meeting at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club on Saturday 10 May 2014, and a subsequent counter complaint of Mr Brodie Burgess against Ms Mulcahy alleging that she had removed a greyhound trained by his father Mr Paul Burgess from the kennel block, without their permission.
Today evidence was taken from Ms Mulcahy, Bill Samuel, Brodie Burgess, Paul Burgess, Henry Plunkett (Vice President Bundaberg Racing Club), Dianne Patterson (Office Secretary Bundaberg Racing Club), Peta Lea and Desleigh Bickley (Patrons), David Raines (Gate attendant), together with written evidence from Mark, Robyn and Kirstie Reberger (Patrons). Subsequently Mr Brodie Burgess was charged and pleaded guilty to a breach of Greyhounds Australasia Rule of Racing 86 (f)(iv) which reads:
A person (including an official) shall be guilty of an offence if the person engages in, publishes or causes to be published, broadcasts or causes to be broadcast, the use of any contemptuous, unseemly, improper, insulting, or offensive language, conduct or behavior in any manner or form towards, or in relation to any other person having official duties in relation to greyhound racing.
The specifics of the charge being that on Saturday 10 May 2014, at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club, Mr Brodie Burgess (licensed attendant) did improperly conduct himself by using offensive language towards other licensees in the vicinity of the kennel block at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club, and furthermore that he improperly conducted himself by throwing a greyhound muzzle, which struck the Club's Vice President being Mr. Henry Plunkett.
When considering an appropriate penalty, Stewards were mindful of Mr. Burgess's unblemished record with regard to conduct matters, his forthright evidence and remorsefulness throughout the inquiry, however also recognised a need for a penalty to serve as a deterrent. Mr. Burgess was subsequently fined $1000 of which $600 was ordered to be suspended for a period of 12 months subject to him not breaching any conduct related rules.
In relation to the counter complaint lodged by Mr Burgess against Ms Mulcahy, Ms Mulcahy was also charged under and pleaded guilty to Greyhounds Australasia Rule of Racing 86 (o), which reads:
“A person (including an official) shall be guilty of an offence if the person has, in relation to a greyhound or greyhound racing, done a thing, or omitted to do a thing, which in the opinion of the Stewards or the Controlling Body, as the case may be, is negligent, dishonest, corrupt fraudulent or improper, or constitutes misconduct”
The specifics being as a licensed Trainer with Racing Queensland, at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club on 10th May 2014, she was negligent in that she failed to properly identify the correct greyhound before removing the registered greyhound BLUE SORELLA, which is trained by Mr Paul Burgess, from the kennel block, which in the opinion of Stewards was negligent.
Ms Mulcahy was fined the sum of $100.
Mr Burgess and Ms Mulcahy were advised of their appeal rights.