Four-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving at Reading Magistrates Court on Thursday, 3rd July 2025. The charges related to an incident in Wiltshire in April of this year, which saw Murphy veer off the road, leaving his female passenger stricken by the roadside and in need of hospital treatment.
Murphy received a £70,000 fine for his actions alongside a 20-month driving ban, which came into effect immediately following the hearing. He was also ordered to complete a driving remedial course. However, Murphy is free to continue riding, with the initial punishment handed out by the BHA falling short of banning the 29-year-old from the racetrack.
The Incident
Murphy’s latest misstep took place at 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, 27th April 2025. When arriving at the scene near Newbury, police officers found Murphy outside of his car, which had crashed into a roadside tree.
Asked to conduct a roadside breathalyser test, Murphy refused. Initially taken to hospital, the rider consented to be tested at 7 a.m. the following morning. The result – 66mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood – was almost twice the legal driving limit, and that was almost seven hours after the incident.
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy is all smiles as he returns to racing just hours after mysterious car crash riddle https://t.co/rfhrsxZo8d
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) April 29, 2025
Having expressed little recollection of the single-vehicle accident, Murphy spoke only briefly at the hearing but apologised through his legal representative Alex Di Franco KC, who shared that:
“Mr Murphy accepts that he made a great error on his part and is remorseful.”
Later reacting to his punishment, Murphy said:
“I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions. I know that drink driving is unacceptable, and there is no excuse for what I did. I have let a lot of people down. I particularly want to apologise to my passenger and her family.”
Banned from Driving Seat, But Not the Saddle
Murphy’s punishment did not include any restrictions on his ability to continue his career as one of the most successful jockeys in the country. However, it appeared likely that a ban may be dished out by the British Horse Racing Authority.
Back in 2021, Murphy was banned from riding for 14 months, having breached Covid regulations and twice failed a breathalyser test. However, the early evidence suggests he may have avoided a similarly severe punishment this time.
Following the conclusion of the court hearing, the BHA released the following statement:
“In light of Mr Murphy’s guilty plea and the information revealed in court today, we will be working on the addition of new conditions on his licence that may be referred to the Licensing Committee for their consideration. As has been the case in recent weeks, Mr Murphy remains free to take up his riding engagements.”
In a week in which the potential dangers of road travel have been highlighted so tragically, some may feel that Murphy has been let off lightly. His previous reported misdemeanours include a failed cocaine test in 2020, hitting a bloodstock agent in the face with a plastic cup in 2021, Covid breaches and a failed alcohol test.
Whilst a £70,000 fine is no small change to most, the court heard Murphy earns a standard £1,250 per week, plus £250,000 per year from other income sources.
Big Weekend Awaits at Saratoga and Sandown
Whilst there is room for improvement in Murphy’s personal endeavours, the rider is rarely short of excellent in the saddle. Since that April incident, the Irishman has picked up eight Group-class contests, headlined by the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes and five winners at the Royal Ascot Festival.
Hopefully, Murphy will be able to learn from this event – which could potentially have been much worse – and focus on his riding career. Friday evening sees Oisin head to Saratoga to partner New Country in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes. He will then make a swift return to the UK for the excellent Coral-Eclipse Day card at Sandown, where he has a ride in all seven races.
