Champion Irish jockey (29) charged with drink driving after car crashes into tree

By Jordan Reynolds, PA

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been charged with drink driving after a car left a road in England and crashed into a tree.

Murphy (29), of Lambourn in Berkshire, England, was charged by postal requisition on June 19th with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to co-operate with a preliminary test at the roadside, local police said.

The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision at about 12.05am on April 27th when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire, the police added.

Murphy, who grew up in Killarney, Co Kerry, and rode five winners at Royal Ascot last week, is due to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court in England on July 3rd.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: “It is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media as this is a live investigation.”

A spokesperson for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said: “The BHA is aware of an update issued by Thames Valley Police this afternoon regarding Mr Oisin Murphy.

“We are now seeking to gather as much information as possible in order to consider what, if any, implications there are as a result of this development.”