Trainer Ben Currie and co-accused set to face trial in new year

HORSE trainer Ben Currie and three co-accused are expected to face a Toowoomba court trial on a charge of fraud in February next year.

Currie was not required to be in Toowoomba Magistrates Court when his matter was mentioned but was represented by solicitor Nick Smith of Bernays Lawyers acting on behalf of Currie’s legal representatives Jacobsen Mahoney Lawyers.

Mr Smith asked that Currie’s matters be adjourned to October 9 when his three coaccused, David John Litzgow, 41, Denis Gordon Holbeck, 50, and Anthony Raymond Stephens, 25, were next due to appear in court.

A date for the proposed two-week trial could be set down that day, Mr Smith submitted.

Magistrate Kay Ryan said arrangements were being made to hold the trial this year and that a resident Toowoomba magistrate would hear the case.

However, police prosecutor Senior Constable Chris Willson told the court due to witness availability it was not envisaged the trial could take place before next year. Police claim Currie engaged in “systematic fraudulent behaviour” during a period stretching from November 2016 to March last year and claim he sourced “unregulated horse supplements designed to enhance race performance” by circumventing current testing methods.

Police claim that this resulted in Currie fraudulently collecting prize money he wasn’t entitled to.

None of the accused have as yet been required to enter any pleas to their respective charges.

Magistrate Ryan remanded Currie on bail and adjourned the matter to October 9 for mention.