Apprentice jockey handed suspended prison sentence for causing grievous bodily harm with intent to weighing room colleague

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Brandon Wilkie was given a 14-month suspended prison sentence on Thursday for assaulting his weighing room colleague Kyle McHugh, causing injuries including a fractured jaw and fractured eye socket.

Wilkie, 22, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm to his housemate McHugh last summer. The sentence was suspended for 12 months, while McHugh was awarded £500 compensation.

The two riders became involved in an altercation at their shared accommodation having been out drinking together. On the way home, McHugh, who had recently ridden a winner, had goaded Wilkie about his lack of recent success, the court was told.

Wilkie continued to attack McHugh while he was on the ground before helping his fellow apprentice to his feet. When asked by McHugh why he attacked him, Wilkie said: “You need to have some manners.”

Kyle McHugh: was unable to ride for eight weeks after the attackCredit: Lorraine O'Sullivan (racingpost.com/photos)

McHugh was taken to hospital, where he was found to have a broken nose, fractured eye socket, a fracture to his jaw, six broken teeth and a cut to his eyelid.

A video of McHugh’s injuries was taken by Wilkie, and shared with others, in which the rider can be heard saying he was "putting manners on him". 

The jockey, who had been attached to William Knight’s Newmarket stable, has not ridden in Britain since August, but has been active in Ireland since December. He has yet to partner a winner from 14 mounts since his move, with his most recent ride coming at Dundalk on April 10.

Before his arrest last year, Wilkie had partnered 64 winners in Britain, including high-profile successes on Look Back Smiling in the 2024 Spring Mile at Doncaster and the Sky Bet Finale Handicap on Sir Busker at the Ebor meeting at York the same year.

McHugh was able to return to work eight weeks after the attack, the court was told. He has ridden six winners in Britain this year, the last of which came on the Nick Littmoden-trained Ramli at Wolverhampton in June.

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