Canterbury Harness Racing Trainer Sentenced for Assault

A young woman who had long wanted to work with horses left the harness racing industry after being indecently assaulted by a trainer. The 25-year-old man, whose identity remains suppressed, was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court after a jury found him guilty of multiple charges.

The offender, aged 25 years old, is now imprisoned by virtue of his sentence passed to him in the Christchurch District Court. He was convicted by a jury of multiple offences. On Friday, Judge Raoul Neave sentenced him to three months of community detention and 12 months of supervision. He was also ordered to pay 5000 to the victim for emotional harm.

A Christchurch District Court judge has ruled on a case involving a harness racing trainer and his friend, who were involved in a disturbing incident during the harness racing events of Cup Week and Show Week in 2021. The trainer’s friend was found guilty of unlawfully entering the victim’s vehicle but was discharged without conviction. He was ordered to pay 1,500 in emotional harm reparations.

The crimes unfolded at a harness racing facility where the victim, a 19-year-old stabling hand, worked. The trainer, who was actively involved in harness racing, had been out drinking with his friend before they tried to pressure the victim into their company. When she refused, they took control of her truck, driving it about one kilometer away to another stable on the property.

A co-worker later transported the victim to the same stable, where she accepted a drink, possibly in an effort to retrieve her keys. The Christchurch District Court ruling has drawn attention within the harness racing community, as the case highlights serious misconduct involving individuals within the industry. The Christchurch District Court decision reinforces the importance of accountability in such incidents.

Over the next several hours, the instructor inappropriately touched her private body parts as well as above her legs and breasts and kissed her on her face and neck. Judge Neave said that the victim was in a situation where she could not take herself out of it.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Neave said the jury’s verdict confirmed that the victim had been subjected to unwanted and inappropriate behavior. The court considered the effects of the incident on the young woman, who later decided to leave the industry she had once been passionate about.

Her mother, speaking to Stuff, expressed disappointment with the trainer’s sentence, stating that she believed he “deserved more.”

A case that has brought forth significant concerns around workplace safety and accountability in the racing industry and how ill-behavior is dealt with in male-dominated settings.

The incident highlights the need for stronger policies to protect workers in the horse racing industry. Advocates have called for better reporting mechanisms and more measures to improve employee safety.

While the victim has chosen to step away from the industry, her case brings attention to the need for stricter standards and greater accountability in workplaces where young employees may be at risk.