Prominent trainer fined $14k, avoids ban

A prominent Manawatu horse trainer who placed his hand on the inner thigh of an

18-year-old in a Christchurch bar has escaped disqualification or suspension by a racing appeals tribunal.

Mike Breslin, who was 54 at the time of the incident nearly a year ago, has instead been fined $14,000 in a decision released by the racing industry’s Judicial Control Authority yesterday. His name and details of the case had been suppressed until the release of the decision.

He told Stuff he ‘‘totally regrets’’ the incident. He had originally been fined $8000 by a JCA judicial committee on a charge of committing an act detrimental to the interests of racing. Breslin contested the charge.

But the Racing Integrity Unit, which investigates and prosecutes breaches of racing’s rules, appealed, seeking a disqualification of nine to 12 months, which would have seen him barred from stables and anything to do with the racing industry. It said the $8000 fine was ‘‘manifestly inadequate’’.

Police had investigated a complaint of indecent assault, but decided against prosecuting while giving Breslin a warning.

The hearing was told Breslin had been socialising at the Racecourse Hotel in Christchurch after the first day of the New Zealand Cup carnival in November 2016. The 18-year-old was sitting on a bar stool watching her partner play pool late at night when few people were still in the bar.

The woman, who the judicial committee described as a truthful and reliable witness, said Breslin had sat on a stool next to her. She was aware Breslin had placed his hand under her dress on her inner thigh and then moved it upwards to about 3cm from her genital area.

She told the committee that she ‘‘froze’’. She said his hand remained on her thigh for

30 to 40 seconds and Breslin did not speak during this time. She said she was petrified and ‘‘played dumb’’. She did not tell Breslin to desist but rather texted her partner, who eventually read her message and intervened.

The committee in its summary said there was ‘‘no credible evidence to suggest she in any way encouraged or consented to what was taking place.’’

The committee said Breslin desisted when challenged by the woman’s partner. He apologised extensively afterwards.

The partner told the committee that the following Monday he had met Breslin, who handed him a $100 note.

Breslin had said ‘‘I am really sorry, take ’’A’’ out for dinner’’, the partner of the woman, whose name is suppressed, told the committee.

Breslin gave evidence that he had been drunk and that he did not know that the woman was involved in the racing industry or that her partner, who was known to him, was engaged to the woman.

Breslin said yesterday that he was remorseful and ‘‘totally regrets’’ the incident and had stopped drinking alcohol since it occurred.

The appeals tribunal said disqualification or suspension was not appropriate as Breslin did not previously know the complainant - and the charge was to do with a breach of racing rules, not one of indecent assault.

It said the $8000 fine did not ‘‘sufficiently denounce’’ Breslin’s conduct and so increased it to $14,000.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing had not revoked or suspended his trainer’s licence but added conditions that he attend counselling and had ordered that he not be alone with his female employees - none of whom had made any complaint about his behaviour.