Sarah Crowther KC, the Chair of the BHA’s independent Judicial Panel, has today confirmed nine new appointees to the Panel, which encompasses the Disciplinary Panel, Appeal Board and Licensing Committee.
After a thorough appointment process which saw many high-quality applicants, four members – HH Phillip Sycamore CBE, Nicola Shannon KC, Pritesh Rathod and Sam Magee KC – have been added to the Chair Pool, while Colin Vickers, Sharon Cooksey, Miranda Fisher, Amy Hazlewood and Kevin Carptenter join the Specialist Pool.
For each hearing heard before the Panel, Sarah Crowther KC appoints a Chair and two specialist members to form a three-person Panel based on the knowledge and expertise required in each individual case.
Members of the Judicial Panel are appointed on a three-year basis and can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. Some new Panel members have been appointed to replace those stepping down (Austin Allison, Alison O’Dowd and Chester Williams), while additional appointments have been made to support some subject-specific areas that required further expertise.
Sarah Crowther KC said: “We are delighted to welcome the new appointees to the Panel to hear a wide range of matters under the Rules of Racing.
“The process was extremely competitive with over 100 applicants, and following shortlisting, in-person and remote interviews, the successful applicants have now formally been appointed.
“The selection process was designed to promote diversity in Panel members’ personal life experiences and the skills and experiences they bring to the Panel’s work to ensure that the Panel has the wide range of specialist skills needed to determine cases it hears.
“I am delighted that we have been able to appoint Panel members in all roles who not only possess those skills in abundance but also reflect the range of viewpoints and values of the industry and wider public which the Panel serves.
“I am extremely grateful to the Appointment Committee’s careful and thorough consideration of the candidates and for the administrative support of Joshua Ingham-Headland, the Judicial Panel Executive.
“Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Panel members whose appointments will be coming to an end this year.”
New Judicial Panel members
Chair Pool
The Chair pool is made up of legally qualified individuals who manage the proceedings and consider any points of law.
HH Phillip Sycamore CBE – His Honour Phillip Sycamore CBE is a former Deputy High Court Judge who has extensive experience of Chairing sports regulatory panels.
Nicola Shannon KC – Nicola’s areas of expertise include sports law, fraud, crime and serious sexual offences. Nicola is a UKAD board member and sits on the Sport Resolutions Safeguarding Case Management Programme Legal Advice Panel.
Pritesh Rathod – Pritesh specialises in clinical negligence, personal injury, sports law and is the member of Independent Judicial Panel Chair of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and sits on the England and Wales Cricket Board Recreational Discipline Panel.
Sam Magee KC – Sam practices in a wide range of issues such as criminal law, sports law and serious sexual offences. Sam is also the former Chair of the Irish Football Association Disciplinary Panel.
Specialist Member Pool
Specialist members are individuals who bring expert knowledge within their specific field.
Colin Vickers – Colin has over 30 years’ experience in Stewarding and also in handicapping.
Sharon Cooksey – Sharon has extensive equine veterinary experience and specialises in the use and administration of medications.
Miranda Fisher – Miranda is a social worker specialising in safeguarding. She is a member of the National Safeguarding Panel and the Football Association Safeguarding Review Panel.
Amy Hazlewood – Amy is a barrister that sits on disciplinary panels for the FA, Swim England and paddle. She specialises in criminal law and safeguarding.
Kevin Carptenter – Kevin is a sports lawyer who specialises in sport regulatory matters. He has extensive experience sitting on sports regulatory panel’s such as, but not limited to, England Golf, the FA, LTA and as the head of integrity for the International Table Tennis Federation.
The Judicial Panel Chair thanks all those that took the time to apply and especially to those that attended interviews but were ultimately unsuccessful in their application.
