Man Arrested On Jockey Impersonation Charges

A man wanted for impersonating a string of jump jockeys was finally arrested on Wednesday in Newbridge, Co.Kildare, after being sought by police on both sides of the Irish Sea for months.

Terry Kirby, 38, from Newbridge, was to appear at Kildare District Court on Thursday with a number of outstanding warrants against him.

Earlier, for the second successive day, the popular RTE radio lunchtime phone-in programme, Liveline, featured calls about Kirby's alleged activities, while claiming to be a string of different jump jockeys.

Charlie Swan and Mouse Morris were among those interviewed by presenter Joe Duffy.

As recently as last weekend Kirby is alleged to have passed himself off as Leighton Aspell when ingratiating himself with members of a stag party in County Kildare before taking cash, a wallet, and golf clubs, and disappearing in a stolen jeep.

In addition to Lee and Irish-based rider Shay Barry, names Kirby is believed to have used in Britain earlier in the year, he is also suspected of impersonating Barry Keniry, Glenn Tormey, Dean Gallagher and Eamon Murphy among other jockeys, past and present.

Kirby can now expect to be interviewed over a string of alleged offences, while Thames Valley police are also following developments.

Their officers are keen to question Kirby in connection with the death of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in a road accident in the Farringdon area in Oxfordshire in January when he is thought to have been driving a stolen car which was one of two vehicles involved..

Aspell gave an interview live on RTE this week in an effort to clear his name.

He said afterwards: 'I was riding in Britain last weekend, but this isn´t the first time this has happened to me. Three years ago, the same person used my name when staying in a hotel before he did a runner.'

Aspell added: 'I just wish the police could catch him. What he is doing is damaging to the reputation of racing and embarrassing for the jockeys whose names he is using.'