ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
Sean Memory is a retired detective now assisting the National Trainers Federation, dealing with online and in-person abuse
I was brought up by my dad on his own and from when I was about six, he had a Saturday afternoon job in a bookmakers to make ends meet.
I would sit in the back office because I had nobody to take care of me, and he’d throw me betting slips and get me to work out the odds. That’s where my love of horseracing started.
I don’t ride.
I enjoy going to the races, though I went to Cheltenham in 1989 and I’ve never recovered! I like the smaller courses – Fontwell, Worcester, Taunton – and the quieter days.
I retired from the police in 2018. I was dealing with murder, manslaughter and all the serious cases.
I started seeing abhorrent messages on social media that people in the racing industry were receiving, so I reached out to see, with my background, if I could make a difference.
The life of a jockey can be quite isolating.
They travel the length and breadth of the country, usually on their own, and they’re trying to promote themselves on social media to get rides. It’s a lonely place for them; they’ll get messages saying, “I’m following you” as they drive home.
Saffie Osborne got loads of online abuse – including rape and death threats – for a ride she had at Bath.
I thought the police would show an interest. I wasn’t long retired, but you lose contacts quite quickly, and all I heard from them were phrases like “keyboard warrior”, or that he probably didn’t mean it.
I made contact with her dad, trainer Jamie Osborne, who was appalled. I found this person had sent vile messages to lots of jockeys and trainers.
He didn’t expect to be traced but I found him.
People tend to leave a footprint on all their social media, with clues as to where they live, and I knocked on his door. I’m not blasé and I don’t take risks – I step back a yard once I’ve knocked – but I’m in possession of the information and I’m comfortable challenging people like him.
He deleted his account, said that it wouldn’t happen again and wrote a very poorly worded apology to Jamie.
Imagine someone sat in Y-fronts living with his mum, hasn’t seen sunlight for a while, withdrawn, with drink and gambling problems. That’s generally the type – and it’s more widespread than you think.
Social media abuse is worse in football, but that sport has the largest audience and the most resources to tackle it.
The Football Association has its own social media department and they do a lot of their own investigations, but with horses, it involves loss of money and I’d be amazed if
