The Star: July 16, 2020

The Star Thursday July 16 2020
6
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Defence lawyers fight to keep evidence
• From page 1
He pleaded guilty to three
charges relating to the possession
and supply of ecstasy in the
district court in December the
following year. Judge Raoul
Neave discharged Anderson
without conviction.
Anderson was then charged
by the RIU which led to his JCA
appearance and ban.
He denied both charges at the
JCA hearing.
Anderson’s ban comes as
lawyers acting for a number of
harness racing figures fight to
keep evidence gathered by the
police during Operation Inca
from the RIU – the industry’s
investigative unit.
The RIU is seeking the
evidence so it can determine
whether to prosecute individuals
facing a number of criminal
charges. They would then go
before the JCA and potentially
face bans.
Widespread court suppression
orders on the evidence are in
place.
The Anderson disqualification
also comes only a week after
prominent Canterbury trainer
and driver Nigel McGrath
was banned for eight years
after pleading guilty to three
serious racing offences. They
were unrelated to Anderson’s
offending.
McGrath was charged with
attempting to administer a
prohibited substance to a horse,
refusing to make a statement
on the matter, and obstructing
racecourse investigators.
The charges arose after the
RIU raided McGrath’s West
Melton property in March, hours
before two of his horses - Steel
The Show and Could Nine - were
due to race at Addington.
The charges for Anderson
arose after the RIU was supplied
with the summary of facts
presented to the district court
and the probation report that
had been prepared by the
Department of Corrections for
his sentencing.
This springboarded an
investigation from the RIU
into Anderson which found he
TIGHT-
LIPPED: Matt
Anderson
leaving court
in 2019, and
returning to
the winner’s
circle at
a race
meeting.
Below: RIU
manager
of integrity
assurance
Neil
Grimstone.
had supplied ecstasy to the two
suppressed individuals the day
after they had raced in a meeting
in Winton and the day before
they were set to race in Waimate.
Counsel for Anderson, Allister
Davis highlighted there was
no evidence the individuals
supplied with the drugs had
actually ingested it.
The JCA ruled while there was
no definitive proof the drugs
were taken, Anderson still gave
rise to a situation which could
have led to the drivers being
impaired or compromised when
driving in Waimate less than 24
hours after the deal took place.
Anderson was also interviewed
by the RIU in January.
RIU manager of integrity
assurance Neil Grimstone,
who conducted the interview
alongside racing inspector
Simon Irving, told the JCA
Anderson would reply with no
comment when asked about
his drug dealing or who he had
supplied drugs to.
Mr Davis said during the
interview if Anderson answered
the questions he would be in
breach of the suppression order.
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