ADO McGuinness may have to face the referrals committee of the Turf Club after being found guilty of possessing unauthorised animal remedies.

The north Co Dublin trainer was fined a total of €2,500 at Swords District Court in Dublin on Monday for possessing four animal remedies without authorisation and two remedies without a prescription from a veterinary surgeon.

The case against McGuinness, 50, whose stables are in Lusk, was brought by the Department of Agriculture, following a yard inspection carried out in conjunction with the Turf Club.

The Turf Club will now assess the evidence from court before passing it on to the referrals committee, who would then decide on what action, if any, might be taken.

“First of all we would have to review the evidence of the case from the court. That is normal procedure,” said Josh Byrne, Irish National Hunt registrar. “If it is deemed appropriate we will pass the matter on to our Referrals Committee.”

McGuinness said: “I have no comment to make at this stage.”

Giving his verdict this week Judge Dermot Dempsey said that the trainer’s offences appear to be on “the lower end of the scale.”

McGuinness was found guilty after an uncontested trial to have been in possession of animal remedies, Cyanocobalamin, Ana Sed, Colvasone and Vita 15 without an animal remedies authorisation under the European Communities (Control of Animal Remedies and their Residues) Regulations 2007 on June 4th, 2014.

He was further found guilty of being in possession of Pro Dynam and Phenylarthrite without a veterinary prescription.

Louis Reardon, a veterinary inspection agent from the Department of Agriculture, told prosecuting counsel Marjorie Farrell, SC, his permit permits him to carry out searches and inspections. He said on June 4th, 2014 he conducted a routine inspection at the trainer’s yard and searched a tack room and office.

He said he located the remedies, which he said appeared to be unauthorised products, as they did not have the proper labelling on them such as the Vet Product Authorisation Number (VPA). He said the Colvasone was marked with a Vetinerary Medicine number (VM) which indicated it is not licenced to be used within this State.

He gave evidence that the Ana Sed, a potent vetinerary sedative, the Vita 15 and Cyanocobalamin were products of the USA and appeared to be illegally imported into the State.

He said he seized the products after he showed McGuinness the remedies and brought them to the Department of Agriculture State Laboratory in Co Kildare for testing. The remedies were non-performance enhancing remedies but anti-inflammatory, vitamins, painkillers and sedatives but that the Vita 15 did contain traces of Colbat, which is a controversial performance enhancer.

He said he returned to the trainer’s yard on September 3rd, 2014 for the purpose of serving legal notice on McGuinness. However, as McGuinness was not there, he served the notices and left them in McGuinness’s office.

Mr Reardon said there are licenced versions of Ana Sed but “possession and administration of it is restricted to vets only.”

Kevin Dodd, a consultative vet and former senior lecturer at DCU, said some of the products “might have ingredients that are in legitimate products but McGuinness had “no provision to have these products.”

“They are unsuitable and unlicensed,” said Mr Dodd. “They lack the requirements necessary before they can be used in Ireland.”

Noel Meade, chairman of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, gave evidence in mitigation, contrasting this case with an unnamed high profile case involving anabolic steroids. Meade said that the products discovered in the McGuinness yard were like “aspirin compared to what was found in that high profile case.” Mr Reardon disagreed with this comment.

Mr Meade said he never found McGuinness “anything but a gentleman” and has known the trainer for many years.

Defence barrister Ray Comyn, SC, said the married father-of-three has run a successful training business, employing several people and that he hopes to continue with his profession “notwithstanding this glitch.”

He said McGuinness has had a blemish-free record up until now and his reputation is of great significance to him.

Comyn said an upcoming Turf Club enquiry into this offence is likely to see sanctions imposed on his client “that will have an effect on his livelihood.”

Judge Dempsey took into consideration McGuinness’ unblemished record and noted that there was “no attempts by the trainer to hide the remedies. They were easily found.” He formally fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal.