05/01/2010
Sentencing Over Racehorse Threats
A man who threatened to harm a racehorse has been sentenced.
Andrew Rodgerson, 26, of Craiglands, Rochdale, admitted one count of threatening to commit damage at an earlier hearing.
Yesterday, he was sentenced to 34 weeks in prison suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work.
On 17 July 2009, Rodgerson sent a text message to the owner of the racehorse, Conduit.
In it, he threatened to harm the horse if it ran in the King George and Queen Elizabeth stakes at Ascot on 25 July 2009.
Police were called and an investigation was launched.
The number of the phone that sent the message was checked. It was not registered but had recently been topped up with credit, once in Rochdale and once in Manchester.
A cash card used to top the phone up was found at Rodgerson's house during a search on 23 July 2009.
His address was identified after two emails were sent to Conduit's owner, again demanding its withdrawal from the race.
During interview Rodgerson admitted making the threats, telling police he had no intention of harming the horse but wanted it withdrawn from the race because he had become involved in a betting ring and had mixed up a number of bets.
He told police if Conduit won the races he would owe the ring £55,000 but if the horse did not run that amount would drop to £9,000.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Butterworth, of Rochdale CID, said: "Rodgerson made, what were to his victims, very real and very disturbing threats.
"He got himself into financial dire straights and thought this was his way out.
"His actions were foolish and reckless."
(PR/GK)
Andrew Rodgerson, 26, of Craiglands, Rochdale, admitted one count of threatening to commit damage at an earlier hearing.
Yesterday, he was sentenced to 34 weeks in prison suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work.
On 17 July 2009, Rodgerson sent a text message to the owner of the racehorse, Conduit.
In it, he threatened to harm the horse if it ran in the King George and Queen Elizabeth stakes at Ascot on 25 July 2009.
Police were called and an investigation was launched.
The number of the phone that sent the message was checked. It was not registered but had recently been topped up with credit, once in Rochdale and once in Manchester.
A cash card used to top the phone up was found at Rodgerson's house during a search on 23 July 2009.
His address was identified after two emails were sent to Conduit's owner, again demanding its withdrawal from the race.
During interview Rodgerson admitted making the threats, telling police he had no intention of harming the horse but wanted it withdrawn from the race because he had become involved in a betting ring and had mixed up a number of bets.
He told police if Conduit won the races he would owe the ring £55,000 but if the horse did not run that amount would drop to £9,000.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Butterworth, of Rochdale CID, said: "Rodgerson made, what were to his victims, very real and very disturbing threats.
"He got himself into financial dire straights and thought this was his way out.
"His actions were foolish and reckless."
(PR/GK)
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