Private investigator

Sean Memory is a retired detective now assisting the National Trainers Federation, dealing with online and in-person abuse

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I was brought up by my dad on his own and from when I was about six, he had a Saturday afternoon job in a bookmakers to make ends meet. I would sit in the back office because I had nobody to take care of me, and he’d throw me betting slips and get me to work out the odds. That’s where my love of horse-racing started.

I don’t ride. I enjoy going to the races, though I went to Cheltenham in 1989 and I’ve never recovered! I like the smaller courses – Fontwell, Worcester, Taunton – and the quieter days.

I retired from the police in 2018. I was dealing with murder, manslaughter and all the serious cases. I started seeing abhorrent messages on social media that people in the racing industry were receiving, so I reached out to see, with my background, if I could make a difference.

Saffie Osborne got loads of online abuse – including rape and death threats – for a ride she had at Bath. I thought the police would show an interest. I wasn’t long retired, but you lose contacts quite quickly, and all I heard from them were phrases like “keyboard warrior”, or that he probably didn’t mean it.

I made contact with her dad, trainer Jamie Osborne, who was appalled. I found this person had sent vile messages to lots of jockeys and trainers.