Top trainer attacked
Aug 17 2006 By Neil Mckay, The Journal
Detectives investigating an assault on one of Britain's leading racehorse trainers are anxious to talk to his son.
Howard Johnson, 53, who trains North-East millionaire Graham Wylie's string of thoroughbreds, suffered a dislocated shoulder and facial injuries in an alleged assault last week.
He had earlier been drinking in a pub, the George, near his yard in White Lea, Crook, County Durham.
Detectives from Crook who are investigating the incident say they are anxious to speak to two men in their 20s, whom they say "may have important information" on what happened after Mr Johnson left the pub.
One of the men they are anxious to talk to is Mr Johnson's son, Jonathan.
Doctors operated on Mr Johnson's injured shoulder but he was soon back to work with his arm in a sling.
A spokeswoman for Mr Johnson said yesterday he did not wish to comment on the injuries nor how they were sustained.
But his wife Susan had earlier told The Racing Post: "Howard was assaulted and has had an operation on his shoulder, but he is fine now and has been out on the gallops every day since. He is trying to forget about it and doesn't want to talk about it."
A Durham Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that a man in his 50s was the victim of an attack late on Wednesday, August 9, an attack which left him with a dislocated shoulder and facial injuries.
"The victim had been in a public house in the Crook area during the course of that evening and was attacked after he left.
"We are investigating and particularly want to talk to two men in their 20s whom we think may have important information in relation to this attack."
The County Durham trainer rose to national prominence when computer millionaire Mr Wylie, one of jump racing's biggest owners, brought his string of racehorses to the White Lea yard.
The partnership between Mr Johnson and Mr Wylie, a 45-year-old miner's son who netted a £116m fortune when he sold off his shares in computer firm Sage, is one of the most successful in racing, and included a Cheltenham Festival hat-trick last year.
