Former trainer loses his appeal against steroid conviction

Former trainer Pat Hughes yesterday lost his appeal against the convictions handed down in Carlow District Court in October 2014 for being in possession of eight unauthorised animal remedies.

After hearing five hours of evidence in the Circuit Court in Carlow, Judge Francis Comerford upheld the decision of the District Court, which in finding Hughes guilty had fined him €2,500, ordered him to pay €5,000 in costs and €600 in witness expenses.

Comerford fined Hughes €1,000 for being in possession of the anabolic steroid, stanozolol, €100 for each of the seven other unauthorised remedies found by the department officials plus an extra €2,900 in costs and a further €600 in witness expenses.