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06 Apr 13
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05 Jan 10
Police to quiz top horse adviser after stud boss is found hanged
John Warren oversees the Queen’s racing and horse breeding interests
He will be spoken to by officers following the death of Derek Larkin, 32
Mr Larkin was accused a week ago of being the creator of a spoof Twitter account called Lord John Warren
By Neil Sears, David Wilkes and Francesca Infante
5 April 2013
The Queen’s racing manager is to be interviewed by police investigating a suspected suicide apparently sparked by a Twitter row.
John Warren, a leading figure in the horse racing world who oversees all of the Queen’s racing and horse breeding interests, will be spoken to by officers following the death of a stud farm assistant manager.
Derek Larkin, 32, was found hanged on Wednesday. The married father of a one-year-old daughter had been accused a week ago of being the creator of a spoof Twitter account called Lord John Warren.
For the past eight months, the parody account had posted regular jokes about the racing world, along with sometimes smutty quips about celebrities such as Jordan and jokes about the Royal Family.
It poked fun at the supposed pomposity of Mr Warren, who entertains the Queen at his Highclere Stud in Berkshire, in the shadow of Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey is filmed.
Last Saturday, several figures in the racing world received an anonymous email claiming that Mr Larkin, originally from Ireland but living in Wiltshire with his wife Laura, 39, and daughter Niamh, was the author of the Lord John Warren account.
That was the last day on which tweets were sent out either in his own name or from the spoof account. On Wednesday, Mr Larkin was found hanging in a farm outbuilding.
Last night, Wiltshire police confirmed they were investigating the apparent suicide and preparing a report for the coroner.
Mr Warren will be interviewed by officers helping to compile this report and not as part of any criminal inquiry. A police spokesman declined to discuss the Twitter allegations.
A source in the racing world said there was widespread shock that such a trivial matter seemed to have contributed to Mr Larkin taking his own life.
The source said: ‘People used to joke about the Lord John Warren account in the bar at races – and at first some thought that the real John Warren must be pretty annoyed about it.
‘But it was obviously a spoof – it even said “parody” on it – and we assumed his wealthy clients wouldn’t be reading it so he probably wasn’t bothered.
‘Last Saturday I, along with a lot of other people in the racing world, got this anonymous email from someone who obviously didn’t like the Twitter parody, saying they wanted it stopped, and naming Derek Larkin as the author.
'He wasn’t very well known, so no one even exposed him on Twitter.
‘The next thing we knew was that he had apparently killed himself. I can’t understand it. He might have been worried he would lose his job but for a young man with a little girl it should not have been something to kill yourself over.’
Mr Warren, 56, runs the Highclere Stud with his wife Carolyn, 51, daughter of Lord Carnarvon. They live in a manor house on the estate, which the Queen visits regularly to follow the breeding and training of her horses.
Mr Warren, a greengrocer’s son from Essex, is the first man without a title or a military rank to become the Queen’s official racing adviser and bloodstock manager.
His pride at his royal links is evident from his stud website – which features a photograph of him with the Queen at a race.
Last night, the curtains remained drawn at Mr Larkin’s family home in Biddestone, Wiltshire.
His mother-in-law said the family did not wish to comment on the tragedy. At the Biddestone Stud next to his home, where Mr Larkin worked, his employer Tim Bostwick and manager Ian Bradbury also refused to comment.
Mr Warren did not respond to requests for comment.
Police said Mr Larkin’s death was not being treated as suspicious. Asked whether the spoof Twitter account was a factor death, a spokesman said: ‘Wiltshire Police is still investigating this incident and so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2304750/Queens-racing-manager-Twitter-suicide-Police-quiz-horse-adviser-stud-manager-hanged.html#ixzz2PdHR6biH
John Warren oversees the Queen’s racing and horse breeding interests
He will be spoken to by officers following the death of Derek Larkin, 32
Mr Larkin was accused a week ago of being the creator of a spoof Twitter account called Lord John Warren
By Neil Sears, David Wilkes and Francesca Infante
5 April 2013
The Queen’s racing manager is to be interviewed by police investigating a suspected suicide apparently sparked by a Twitter row.
John Warren, a leading figure in the horse racing world who oversees all of the Queen’s racing and horse breeding interests, will be spoken to by officers following the death of a stud farm assistant manager.
Derek Larkin, 32, was found hanged on Wednesday. The married father of a one-year-old daughter had been accused a week ago of being the creator of a spoof Twitter account called Lord John Warren.
For the past eight months, the parody account had posted regular jokes about the racing world, along with sometimes smutty quips about celebrities such as Jordan and jokes about the Royal Family.
It poked fun at the supposed pomposity of Mr Warren, who entertains the Queen at his Highclere Stud in Berkshire, in the shadow of Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey is filmed.
Last Saturday, several figures in the racing world received an anonymous email claiming that Mr Larkin, originally from Ireland but living in Wiltshire with his wife Laura, 39, and daughter Niamh, was the author of the Lord John Warren account.
That was the last day on which tweets were sent out either in his own name or from the spoof account. On Wednesday, Mr Larkin was found hanging in a farm outbuilding.
Last night, Wiltshire police confirmed they were investigating the apparent suicide and preparing a report for the coroner.
Mr Warren will be interviewed by officers helping to compile this report and not as part of any criminal inquiry. A police spokesman declined to discuss the Twitter allegations.
A source in the racing world said there was widespread shock that such a trivial matter seemed to have contributed to Mr Larkin taking his own life.
The source said: ‘People used to joke about the Lord John Warren account in the bar at races – and at first some thought that the real John Warren must be pretty annoyed about it.
‘But it was obviously a spoof – it even said “parody” on it – and we assumed his wealthy clients wouldn’t be reading it so he probably wasn’t bothered.
‘Last Saturday I, along with a lot of other people in the racing world, got this anonymous email from someone who obviously didn’t like the Twitter parody, saying they wanted it stopped, and naming Derek Larkin as the author.
'He wasn’t very well known, so no one even exposed him on Twitter.
‘The next thing we knew was that he had apparently killed himself. I can’t understand it. He might have been worried he would lose his job but for a young man with a little girl it should not have been something to kill yourself over.’
Mr Warren, 56, runs the Highclere Stud with his wife Carolyn, 51, daughter of Lord Carnarvon. They live in a manor house on the estate, which the Queen visits regularly to follow the breeding and training of her horses.
Mr Warren, a greengrocer’s son from Essex, is the first man without a title or a military rank to become the Queen’s official racing adviser and bloodstock manager.
His pride at his royal links is evident from his stud website – which features a photograph of him with the Queen at a race.
Last night, the curtains remained drawn at Mr Larkin’s family home in Biddestone, Wiltshire.
His mother-in-law said the family did not wish to comment on the tragedy. At the Biddestone Stud next to his home, where Mr Larkin worked, his employer Tim Bostwick and manager Ian Bradbury also refused to comment.
Mr Warren did not respond to requests for comment.
Police said Mr Larkin’s death was not being treated as suspicious. Asked whether the spoof Twitter account was a factor death, a spokesman said: ‘Wiltshire Police is still investigating this incident and so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2304750/Queens-racing-manager-Twitter-suicide-Police-quiz-horse-adviser-stud-manager-hanged.html#ixzz2PdHR6biH
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Replies: 9
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is tracksuitdave1 still going?
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Jesus, I'd like to hope he didn't kill himself purely over the Twitter thing.
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Mystery of the Queen's hore racing manager and a Twitter 'suicide'
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I always suspected it AD but to finally see it in print.
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Colombo would have loved this case. Very strange indeed.
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John Warren was in Australia last weekend to see Carlton House run. I saw him interviewed on one of the racing channels, where he said he would be at the yearling sales, that start this Tuesday.
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There's always been something about Warren which hasn't seemed right so whilst i've not read the blog referred to can't say i'm surprised to hear there is one.
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Must have some compromising photos
 Mr Warren, a greengrocer’s son from Essex, is the first man without a title or a military rank to become the Queen’s official racing adviser and bloodstock manager. |
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I once saw something at Sandown when he was talking to a well known character that really put me off the bloke
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