Queensland student acquitted over white powder video | Just horse racing

Queensland apprentice jockey Amy Graham has been found not guilty on appeal in a case arising from a leaked video of her snorting white powder in her private home.

The Queensland Racing Appeals Panel (RAP) has quashed its original charge under AR 228(a), which relates to conduct deemed detrimental to the image or integrity of racing. In doing so, the panel cited an important precedent involving leading Victorian jockey Jamie Melham (née Kah).

In 2023, the Victorian Racing Tribunal ruled that Melham could not be found guilty of bringing racing into disrepute because she was unaware she was being filmed when video of her cutting lines of white powder was circulated online.

The RAP panel ruled on Wednesday, saying the circumstances surrounding Graham’s case were essentially similar.

“Kah did not know she had been recorded,” the panel wrote. “The applicant’s (Graham) story and the video itself do not prove that the applicant knew she was being recorded consuming cocaine.”

The panel noted that Graham was only informed of the recording after the fact and had asked for the video to be deleted, believing this had taken place.

“The evidence does not sufficiently establish that the recording was made with her knowledge or consent… Like Kah, the publication of the video was made without her knowledge or consent.”

The panel also emphasized that the incident took place in a private home and was not related to racing or other official racing business.

“As in Kah, the applicant has engaged in foolish, reckless and risky conduct, but we are not persuaded that this constitutes a breach of AR 228,” the panel concluded. “It would follow that the charges… should be dismissed.”

Graham has now been acquitted of the conduct charge, with the verdict marking an important outcome for the young rider.

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