Former Wife of Jockey Silvestre de Sousa Charged with Assault: Details of the Case.

Ex-Wife of Jockey Becomes Accused in Assault

According to The Sun: The ex-wife of three-time champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa, 39-year-old Victoria de Sousa, has appeared in court charged with assaulting him.

Silvestre de Sousa's ex-wife Victoria has been accused of assaulting him Getty Images - Getty

The charges relate to the infliction of bodily harm with intent to cause serious physical injury. The incident occurred on July 27 – a day before the jockey's victory at the races in Yarmouth.

Silvestre de Sousa, 44, who earned over £1 million racing this year, was due to appear in court in Cambridge on Tuesday. However, Judge Andrew Hurst postponed the hearing until September 12, as the jockey's ex-wife's lawyer, Ella Ripper, noted that her client has not yet decided what plea to enter.

The judge stated: “I am concerned that we have come to today, nearly a month after Ms. de Sousa appeared in Ipswich, and effectively she is uncertain of her plea.”

In court, it was revealed that Ms. de Sousa was wearing an electronic tag as part of her bail conditions. A request for its removal was submitted as she claimed it costs her £5,000 a month in appearance fees since it is difficult for her to wear boots.

Ella Ripper stated: “She needs to wear special riding boots and to lift the horses before the children she teaches get on them.”

Unfortunately, the request for the removal of the tag was denied.

Silvestre de Sousa is one of the most well-known jockeys, having won £90,000 at Royal Ascot this year. He is a multiple Group 1 winner, with a recent victory worth £650,000 occurring at last year's champion day at Ascot.

This news comes against the backdrop of a recent incident where a young jockey was arrested for assaulting a fellow jockey, resulting in the victim being hospitalized with “serious facial injuries.” The 21-year-old jockey based in Newmarket has been granted bail until November while Suffolk police conduct their investigation.

The situation surrounding Silvestre de Sousa and his ex-wife highlights the complicated relationships in the world of horse racing. The relevance of such events becomes clear in light of recent assaults within jockey circles, raising concerns among participants and race organizers.