Goodwood violence leads to convictions and exclusion orders

A number of individuals have been excluded from all British racecourses following an incident of "gratuitous violence" at Goodwood in May last year.

The move by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) comes at the conclusion of criminal proceedings which resulted in the conviction and sentencing of 11 people at Guildford Crown Court, after charges were brought by Sussex Police.

The BHA said the exclusions are for an indefinite period, with a minimum of three years, and prevent the individuals from entering any premises licensed by the BHA, which includes racecourses and training yards.

Chris Watts, head of integrity for the BHA, said: "A day at the races is a fun, safe and relaxing day out that is suitable for all the family.

"The sport will not tolerate any incidents of serious anti-social behaviour and, in this case, gratuitous violence.

"On the very rare occasions when it does occur we will work collaboratively with the police and the racecourses to ensure that the appropriate action is taken against the individuals involved."

Adam Waterworth, managing director of sport at Goodwood racecourse, said: "We are delighted that the evidence we provided has helped secure an appropriately serious sentence for the perpetrators of this incident.

"We take a zero-tolerance stance on anti-social behaviour here at Goodwood, and to support this, we installed an extensive CCTV network across the course a few years ago, which helped us provide clear footage to Sussex Police of the incident.

"This sends out a strong message to the public - anti-social behaviour is not welcome at Goodwood, and we will continue to be vigilant so racegoers can enjoy the best possible experience when they come racing with us."