By Jeremy Sollars
More charges are expected to be laid in relation to fixing of harness races in Queensland after a 46-year-old Warwick man was this week arrested and charged after a 10-month investigation by authorities.
The Warwick man, who cannot be named prior to his court appearance, was charged yesterday, Thursday 6 April, after police raided five properties across the south-east.
If convicted the man faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
The charges follow an investigation by the Queensland Racing Crime Squad, the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission and the Crime and Corruption Commission, which began soon after the QRIC was formed last July, in the wake of the greyhound live baiting scandal.
Detectives told Brisbane media they expected to lay more charges against other individuals and had alleged a “loose cartel” of drivers and trainers has been engaged in the “systemic“ fixing of harness races in Queensland.
Queensland Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett told the media race fixing was not occurring at every race meeting but was “more frequent than it is rare“.
“There is what I’ll call a loose cartel of drivers and trainers who are involved in systemic race fixing,“ Mr Barnett said.
“How that occurs depends from race to race.
“They will get together and decide on driving tactics or who will win the race, how they will win it.
“We are talking about more than one race.
“It’s not every race, not even every race meeting, but on the continuum of activity I’d have to say it’s more frequent than it is rare.“
Premises visited this week included properties at Limestone Ridges, Warwick, The Gap, Logan Village and Redcliffe. Detectives seized mobile phones, computers, documents and clothing. The items will now be forensically examined as part of the investigation.
The Warwick man charged yesterday is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 10 May.
