Multiple Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy Pleads Guilty To Drink Driving Offence

[Wandering Eyes]

Multiple champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after he appeared at Reading Magistrates' Court on Thursday afternoon where he admitted to driving over the limit for alcohol.

The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol. He was not asked to plead on another count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside.

A four-time champion jockey, Murphy was charged by postal requisition on June 19 after he drove his grey Mercedes A Class off the road and into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire, in the early hours of April 27. He rode a double at Windsor the following day when employed by trainers Richard Hughes and John and Thady Gosden. 

Murphy was officially charged on the Thursday of Royal Ascot week, when he rode another double, this time courtesy of Arabian Story and Never So Brave – trained by Saeed bin Suroor and Andrew Balding respectively. He ended the showpiece meeting with five winners in total.

Murphy spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address, but apologised via his barrister Alex Di Francesco KC before the verdict was delivered.

“Mr Murphy accepts that he made a great error on his part and is remorseful,” Di Francesco said. “He wants to make three apologies: firstly to the passenger and to convey how grateful the circumstances were not worse, he wants to apologise to the public and other road users, and lastly to those who he works with.”

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