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| Horse kill threat man sentenced | Horse kill threat man sentenced |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man who threatened to kill a top racehorse unless it was withdrawn from a race at Ascot has been given a 34-week suspended prison sentence. | A man who threatened to kill a top racehorse unless it was withdrawn from a race at Ascot has been given a 34-week suspended prison sentence. |
| Andrew Rodgerson, 26, told Conduit's trainer the horse would be stabbed if it ran in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in July. | |
| He was arrested before the 2009 meeting but there was heightened security. | He was arrested before the 2009 meeting but there was heightened security. |
| Rodgerson, from Rochdale, who pleaded guilty to blackmail, was sentenced at Bury Magistrates' Court. | |
| Conduit, which has an estimated stud value of £5m and was favourite for the race, went on to win on 25 July. | |
| Tight security | |
| Rodgerson, of Craiglands, sent a text message with the initial threat to the horse's owner, before following this up with two e-mails. | |
| The British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) was contacted, which called in Greater Manchester Police. | |
| Increased security was laid on by the BHA during the horse's journey to Ascot and when he was stabled at the racecourse. | |
| Rodgerson's sentence was suspended for two years and he was also ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work. |