Disgraced harness racing trainer gets home detention

Jake Kenny of Stuff reports that a harness racing horse trainer who sold a non-existent horse for $40,000 and defrauded horse owners will serve seven months home detention.

Mitchell Paul Kerr​, 30, appeared in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday to be sentenced on three charges – two of obtaining by deception and another of forgery. He earlier pleaded guilty to all three and was banned from the harness racing industry for life.

In September 2019, Kerr agreed to sell an un-raced three-year-old horse worth $40,000. However, that horse did not exist.

He then sent the victim training, incidental and insurance invoices worth $26,175.

In late 2020, the victim became suspicious as he hadn’t seen the horse, nor any ownership papers.

When he asked for proof the horse existed, Kerr said it wouldn’t make the grade and should be sacked.

The victim insisted on proof, and so Kerr found a horse matching the description of the one he’d agreed to sell. He took pictures of it and sent them to the victim in order to convince him they were of his horse.

Between 2017 and 2020 Kerr trained several horses. He sent owners costs for training and insurance.

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by Jake Kenny, reprinted with permission from Stuff