JOCKEY Robbie Dunne is expected to give evidence next week when the British Horseracing Authority’s independent disciplinary panel reconvenes to consider whether or not the Dublin-born rider bullied and harassed fellow professional rider Bryony Frost.

The panel heard three days of evidence for the prosecution this week and a further three days have been set aside for the defence case next week.

Dunne has been charged with conduct which the BHA considers “is prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horse racing in Britain”. Among the seven charges levelled against him are allegedly “acting in a violent of improper manner” by “verbally abusing and threatening a fellow jockey”.

The jockey denies all charges of prejudicial conduct and two of the three of violent and threatening behaviour, with the majority of the incidents in question taking place on racecourses in 2020.

If found guilty, the entry point for conduct prejudicial to horse racing is a fine of £2,000 or withdraw/suspend/disqualify a licence for three months. The range for the penalty is a fine of £1,000 to £15,000 and a ban from one month to three years.

For violent of improper conduct, the entry point is a four-day ban for a jockey with the range being one to 21 days.

The case, which centres around a complaint made by Frost, is finally being heard after months of investigation, with the process also impacted by the contents of a lengthy BHA report into the allegations and culture in the weighing room being leaked to a newspaper last month.

During Thursday’s session a fence attendant present during Dunne’s alleged verbal attack on Frost following a race at Stratford described the incident as “beyond memorable” and “very aggressive”.

The witness in question told the hearing he recalled Dunne pulling up his mount and then calling Frost “a f***ing slut” and was adamant of the details of the conversation when under cross-examination from Dunne’s legal representative, Roderick Moore.

The panel also heard the evidence of former jockey Hannah Welch, who alleged that Dunne had verbally abused her following a race in November 2018.

An emotional Frost said she has felt ‘isolated’ since lodging her complaint against Dunne. “To me, personally, the isolation I felt for speaking out, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” she said.

Frost said that fellow jockey Tom Scudamore no longer speaks to her. Scudamore was among a large group of witnesses present at Southwell in September 2020 when Dunne allegedly threatened Frost.

In that incident, following a race in which Dunne’s mount suffered a fatal injury, Dunne is alleged to have said to Frost: “The next time I ride against you, I promise I will put you through a wing.”

According to Dunne’s counsel, Scudamore said in his witness statement that ‘it was nothing out of the ordinary, he wasn’t shocked and Mr Dunne wasn’t out of order. It was no different to what would appear every third day, otherwise he would have got involved.’

Frost said: “Mr Scudamore, since this has all come out, hasn’t spoken one word to me. We used to share lifts racing and now he wouldn’t even say hello to me in the weighing room.”