Ascot Gold Cup-winning groom handed lengthy ban following BHA finding of sexual misconduct

Ascot Gold Cup-winning groom handed lengthy ban following BHA finding of sexual misconductDavid Hickin, 37, who led up the 2021 Gold Cup winner Subjectivist, was working as a travelling head lad when the offences were committed from May to July 2025SportJon Lees15:41, 15 Apr 2026Updated 15:41, 15 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesDavid Hickin with Subjectivist(Image: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock)A stable lad who led up an Ascot Gold Cup winner was disqualified for 32 months for serious sexual misconduct by a BHA disciplinary panel on Wednesday. David Hickin, 37, had worked in racing for 20 years rising to the position of travelling head lad.‌In 2021, he led up the Mark Johnston-trained Gold Cup winner Subjectivist at Royal Ascot. but was working elsewhere when the incidents occurred.‌Hickin, 37, admitted the charges against him in a case involving three women, whose identities were kept anonymous and were referred to as Persons A, B and C, during a period from May to July 2025.‌Outlining the case Silas Lee, representing the BHA, told the panel: “This case involves sexual assault, behaviour.of a sexual nature, sexualised comments and abuse of a position of responsibility in respect of three young women.Lee said Hickin "sexually assaulted and behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner towards a young female employee" and "he also behaved in a sexually inappropriate way towards two other young female employees.”READ MORE: Paul Townend's huge prize money in 2026 after Grand National and Cheltenham Festival winsREAD MORE: Grand National meeting winner disqualified after jockey used whip 11 times in finishLee said the most serious breaches of the BHA Code of Conduct related to ‘Person A’ and occurred during one day.‌These included “making reference to making her wet and telling her she would give him a hard-on”, “running a pen between her legs, touching her leg without consent in the racecourse canteen, attempting to hug Person A and picking her up, wrapping his leg...