Carberry Can Ride Pending Appeal

Paul Carberry will be able to continue race-riding pending an appeal after being given a two-month jail sentence for setting fire to a newspaper on a plane from Spain to Dublin.

The 32-year-old jump jockey had pleaded not guilty at Swords District Court in Dublin to a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace on an Aer Lingus flight on October 1 last year.

Should his conviction be confirmed on appeal, Carberry could be deemed a disqualified person by the Irish Turf Club and lose his licence.

'If reports are true that he is appealing against the decision of the court, we have been advised legally that this effectively puts a stay of execution on the conviction,' said the Irish Turf Club's chief executive, Denis Egan.

'As such he is free to continue riding until the appeal is heard and the outcome finally determined.

'If there is a conviction, the licensing committee will have to look at the implications. It would be premature to surmise what might actually happen.'

There are provisions under Irish Turf Club rule 274 for the licensing committee to disqualify a person for being convicted of a criminal offence for a fixed period of time.

Should that happen in Carberry's case, if they felt his actions had been prejudicial to racing in Ireland, he would then have to reapply for his licence.

In court, Judge Patrick Brady described Carberry's evidence as contrived. He said he also had to consider the seriousness of the risk to passengers on a plane travelling at 12,000 feet and the distress caused to them.

He sentenced Carberry to two months in jail and fined him 500 euros.

Carberry was granted bail after paying 1,000 euros in cash, and he got into a waiting car outside the court without making any comment.

? PA Sport