THE world of racing has reacted with shock and relief that Peter Brown has been found guilty of manslaughter.

Their comments have been echoed by the local community in Norton and Malton.

Brown, 37, was cleared of murder but found guilty of the manslaughter of Jamie Kyne, 18, and Jan Wilson, 19.

Apprentice jockey and Jamie Kyne’s friend, Paul Pickard, 22, was the first beneficiary of the Kyne-Wilson Scholarship, named in memory of the two jockeys.

He said: “I’m very pleased he has been found guilty. He definitely got what he deserves and should be severely punished for what he did.

“I think he should be given life for the tragedy he caused. Jamie was a very good friend to me and I only talked to him the day before he died.

“When I found out about what had happened I thought I was going to be sick.”

Tom O’Ryan, The Press’s racing pundit, knew both Jan Wilson and Jamie Kyne.

He said: “I just hope for the parents of both Jamie and Jan that this verdict provides some sort of closure and hopeful it provides some crumb of comfort but it does not bring them back.

“I think everybody in racing feels that it still runs quite deep. We have not moved on after a year, and even though a lot of people will feel justice has been done there will still be that underlying feeling that it does not change the fact that we lost two talented young kids.”

Poignantly, Tom said tomorrow’s Sportingbet Sprint Handicap at York would have marked the first anniversary of the first big race that Jamie won, romping home as he did aboard Ishetoo at Knavesmire a year ago tomorrow.

The racing charity hotline which provided immediate support following the Malton flats fire which killed the two apprentice jockeys have told of their reaction to the news.

Richard Negus, fundraising and communications executive for Racing Welfare, said: “At least now, following the end of the trial, there is some sort of closure.”

Paul Farndale, chairman of Norton Town Council, said: “It’s the finalisation of everything. I’m glad they have come to a verdict and it will end and I hope it will end for the parents and they can move on.”


‘An utterly senseless act’

Peter Brown’s act of revenge robbed the families of Jan Wilson and Jamie Kyne of their loved ones and sadly deprived the sporting world of two rising talents, said Jan Hills, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North Yorkshire. Ms Hills said: “This utterly senseless act perpetrated by Peter Brown led to the tragic death of two young people, both of whom had their whole lives and promising sporting careers ahead of them. In setting fire to the block of flats, he cruelly snuffed out that youthful potential, all for the sake of a perceived slight after being refused access to a party.”


‘He showed no remorse’

DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Alan Carey said: “Peter Brown has shown little or no remorse, let alone an admission of his guilt, throughout the investigation and now the trial. It is perhaps telling that he did not want to be confronted with questions as to what he did and why. The fact he took this decision is of little comfort to Jan’s and Jamie’s families who are still left wondering why the fire was started.”