Track rider and greyhound trainer Jacob Biddell used friend’s urine to dupe Racing Victoria drug testers

In December 2023, the Victoria Racing Court determined that Melham could not be accused of release the sport, because she did not know that it was withdrawn.

McIntyre was suspended by VRT for two months by VRT for his role in the scandal, conditional, suspended from the Biddell Greyhound Racing Victoria Integrity Unit. The race did not face the Victoria charges.

In June 2022, Biddell said he met Melham as a young man in Adelaide on the Australian race Greyhound website and convinced him to move to Melbourne.

“I told him that I was thinking of trying Greyhound training, and if I took care of it, he said that I was more pleasant than living with him and educating them on his property,” he said.

Lawyer Matthew Stirling, who moves for Biddell, told the court on Tuesday that his client broke the T10 (10th Vertebra) on a serious track five years ago and had experienced back pain since then.

Stirling said that Biddell has occasionally resorted to cannabis use, helping the word literally sleeps and alleviates pain ”.

“Yes, what he did by changing the urine sample was fraudulent and serious, but he just did it to keep his job and keep it at work.”

“He didn’t cope mentally and did not cope with physical pain, and took cannabis to alleviate pain and mask the pain.”

The court is prescribed medical cannabis through a registered clinic of Biddell.

In a letter read to the court, Biddell said he regretted the serious violation of the rules.

“I was under significant financial and emotional pressure during the crime,” Biddell wrote.

“If I lost my ability to work, there would be no income and no way to meet or meet my basic responsibilities for myself or for animals in my care.

“I made a stuck and desperate decision, I hoped to take enough time to survive. It was the wrong choice and I get full accountability.”

Trainers Lucy Yeomans and Mark Webb provided character references for Biddell that it was a hardworking, natural cavalry and did not come to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Court President John Bowman, while sitting with the panel members des Gleeson and Judy Bourke, Biddell’s important security and welfare rule showed a “deliberate deception”.

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“We consider that you have some physical and painful upper body symptoms caused by a decline and that products containing cannabis or cannabis are related to it,” Judge Bowman said.

“However, in this case, it does not justify much less marijuana purchase at a very high level.

“Random test is important for the welfare, image of the race and the safety of the participants.”