Liz Doyle contradicts evidence given by IHRB officials in the High Court

Liz Doyle on Tuesday insisted she is "100 per cent" sure of her assertions relating to a contentious 2014 stable inspection when giving evidence in the High Court that contradicted that of the plaintiff Chris Gordon.

Doyle claimed the document presented to her on the morning of that controversial yard inspection in March 2014 was different to the one that has been discussed throughout the case in the High Court.

As well as giving contradictory evidence to Chris Gordon, who initiated the defamation case against the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association almost six years ago, Doyle gave her version of a bust-up with the security chief's deputy Declan Buckley at Fairyhouse shortly after the investigation.

Describing the document, Doyle said: “It was what looked like a single-sheet photocopy of a lodgement document. There were three figures on it. There were no initials at all. My name was the only name on the document, directly beside the figure of 200.”

Gordon had already told the court that Doyle was shown a departmental file, otherwise known as the book of evidence. When this was put to Doyle by SC Michael McDowell, representing the IRTA, she said: “I'm absolutely, with ultimate clarity, 100 per cent sure about what I say.”

She added: “The stakes are so high for my reputation and for Mr Gordon’s reputation."

Liz Doyle: “I'm absolutely, with ultimate clarity, 100 per cent sure about what I say.”Credit: Patrick McCann

In Buckley’s evidence, he claimed Doyle was abusive when he presented her with a copy of the document at Fairyhouse.

However, the trainer told the court that she only raised her voice when she realised the document she was presented with did not replicate the one she was shown during the inspection.

She recalled: “Immediately I could see that in no way did it resemble what I was shown in my yard. There was initials introduced and there was a Liz Doyle scribbled over to the left-hand side with a circle and a question mark beside it.”

When Buckley mentioned Fairyhouse on February 14 from the witness box, he claimed Doyle "completely lost her cool", before snatching the document from his hand.

Doyle gave evidence that contradicted that account on Tuesday, and claimed: "I said 'Declan' in quite a calm voice, 'this isn’t what was shown in my yard'. Declan you were there.

"You knew that. You know there was no initials in the yard. There was no Liz Doyle over to the left. The Liz Doyle was beside the 200. You were there Declan. I spoke to you over the weekend about this. You apologised to me."

She added: “The minute I said that to him, he never opened his mouth, he grabbed the sheet of paper from my hands and I was completely shocked. I ripped it back – it did rip – I went to grab it back and it ripped off him.

“He was there to give this document to me and he gave it to me. And now suddenly he ripped it out of my hands so I said to myself, ‘No you don’t,’ and I took it back off him and I picked up some of it which was on the floor.”

Doyle claims it was at this stage, when the document had been ripped, when she raised her voice at Buckley.

She said: “I did raise my voice, because at this stage it was becoming apparent to me what was happening, what I was dealing with, and I did raise my voice. I said 'Declan, you are an absolute disgrace. I said, 'it is an absolute disgrace that you work for an integrity body.'”

The case enters its 18th day on Wednesday, when Doyle will continue to give evidence.

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