Animal Rising protester who ran onto the track during Epsom Derby handed suspended prison sentence and fined £10,000 for breaching Jockey Club’s High Court injunction

• Ben Newman breached a High Court Injunction obtained by the Jockey Club
• Animal Rising activist ran onto the course just seconds after the Derby started
• Newman had already been convicted of causing a public nuisance in August

Ben Newman, the Animal Rising activist who breached a High Court Injunction obtained by the Jockey Club when he ran onto the course at Epsom seconds after the Derby started, has been handed a two-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

Newman was also ordered to pay a £10,000 contribution to Jockey Club costs.

Newman has already spent a month in prison on remand as well as being convicted of causing a public nuisance which resulted in an 18 week suspended sentence plus an order to do 80 hours of unpaid work.

Newman’s action at Epsom on June 3 was part of Summer of action by the Animal Rights group which had started with an invasion of Aintree which disrupted the start of the Grand National on April 15.

Threats to disrupt the Derby led to the Jockey Club obtaining the injunction.

Ben Newman disrupted the Epsom Derby in June by running onto the track (pictured)

Animal Rising activist had already been convicted of causing a public nuisance in August

After Wednesday’s hearing, Nevin Truesdale, the Jockey Club’s Chief Executive, said: ‘Ben Newman’s decision to breach security and run onto the track while The Derby was underway was a reckless stunt which could have compromised the safety and security of humans and horses.

‘Following Surrey Police’s successful criminal prosecution for causing public nuisance, in August, The Jockey Club lodged its own application for contempt of court against Mr Newman for breaching the High Court injunction it was granted by Sir Anthony Mann in May.

“We were always very clear that if anyone chose to breach the injunction then we would not hesitate to take further action.

“It has always been our intention for that action to be both clear and proportionate and we accept the sanction imposed on Mr Newman by the Court today.

“More widely, it is our sincere hope that by pursuing this matter in the High Court it sends a very clear message to anyone who might in future consider disrupting races in such a way, that we will never tolerate illegal and reckless behaviour of this kind.’

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