‘I hit her by accident’

Jockey says he did not abuse partner

‘PURE accident” and “pure self-defence”.

That’s how former jockey Graham Gregorowski, 30, described his actions on the night his partner, Janet Scott, 54, died at his Summerveld home in October last year.

This was contained in the affidavits submitted by Gregorowski during his bail hearing at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

He was charged with murder after being arrested at the scene where neighbours discovered the battered body of Scott, who was described by many as being “sweet” and “gentle”.

In court this week, Gregorowski became emotional when his mother hugged him just before the hearing started. She was in court with friends to support his bail bid.

Scott’s brother, Robert, who is well known in horse-racing circles, had submitted affidavits in a previous bail hearing.

On Wednesday, advocate Willie Lombard, appearing for the defence, read out Gregorowski’s affidavit in which the former jockey denied being a violent person, as well as abuse or acts of anger against Scott.

With regard to the night Scott died, his statement read, “I deny ever committing acts of assault and abusive behaviour in respect of the deceased.

“The only occasion which I laid my hands on the deceased was the night she passed when I pushed her away from me whilst the deceased attempted to attack me and subsequent to that and whilst the deceased attempted to attack me for a second time did I swing my hand at the deceased and accidentally slapped the deceased on her face.

“After I struck the deceased on her face and repeat that this was by pure accident, the deceased for a third time attempted to attack me, at which time I pushed the deceased away from me.

“The reason that I deny ever having unlawfully committed acts of assault and abusive behaviour towards the deceased, is that although I did physically strike the deceased, as stated in this paragraph, as I did so in pure self-defence.”

Also submitted during the hearing were affidavits by Gayle Fradd and Bernice Liversage who have offered Gregorowski a place to stay should bail be granted. Fradd submitted that Gregorowski had worked for her and she found him to be “a very pleasant person”.

After the murder, Robert Scott said his sister had been so badly beaten he could only recognise her by the tattoos on her stomach. Her death sent shock waves through the horse-racing fraternity.

The bail hearing is scheduled to continue on August 14.