This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/21/top-disabled-athlete-burglary
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Burglary puts top disabled athlete's career in doubt | Burglary puts top disabled athlete's career in doubt |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Two men have been charged after burglars stole up to £30,000-worth of specialised fencing equipment from a top disabled athlete last weekend. | Two men have been charged after burglars stole up to £30,000-worth of specialised fencing equipment from a top disabled athlete last weekend. |
| Adrian Derbyshire, a British wheelchair fencing champion, said the theft from his Warrington home put his whole career in doubt. He has not retrieved all of the stolen items taken in the burglary, which took place at around 7.15am on Saturday morning. | Adrian Derbyshire, a British wheelchair fencing champion, said the theft from his Warrington home put his whole career in doubt. He has not retrieved all of the stolen items taken in the burglary, which took place at around 7.15am on Saturday morning. |
| Derbyshire, 38, appealed for help recovering the items, saying he could be forced to retire from the Great British fencing squad without the equipment. | Derbyshire, 38, appealed for help recovering the items, saying he could be forced to retire from the Great British fencing squad without the equipment. |
| The items, which include six swords, spare blades, Team GB-branded tracksuits, a wheelchair battery, wheels and coaching aids used to teach disabled children, are estimated to be valued at £20,000-£30,000. His wheelchair was damaged in the raid. The equipment was specially tailored to his requirements. | The items, which include six swords, spare blades, Team GB-branded tracksuits, a wheelchair battery, wheels and coaching aids used to teach disabled children, are estimated to be valued at £20,000-£30,000. His wheelchair was damaged in the raid. The equipment was specially tailored to his requirements. |
| Derbyshire believes the burglars broke into his garage with the sole intention of stealing his fencing gear. "I'm devastated," he said in a phone interview on Monday. "This could be a career-ending burglary for me. Already I'm missing competitions because of it. There was a competition this week against the French I wanted to compete in and I can't now. They've wiped me clean out." | Derbyshire believes the burglars broke into his garage with the sole intention of stealing his fencing gear. "I'm devastated," he said in a phone interview on Monday. "This could be a career-ending burglary for me. Already I'm missing competitions because of it. There was a competition this week against the French I wanted to compete in and I can't now. They've wiped me clean out." |
| Detective Superintendent Clare Ellis from Warrington police said: "While some of the items have been recovered, there are still some outstanding. Without it Adrian won't be able to train and as it is specifically tailored to his needs, it is only of use to him. | Detective Superintendent Clare Ellis from Warrington police said: "While some of the items have been recovered, there are still some outstanding. Without it Adrian won't be able to train and as it is specifically tailored to his needs, it is only of use to him. |
| "We would urge anyone who is offered such equipment, or comes across such equipment to contact police." | "We would urge anyone who is offered such equipment, or comes across such equipment to contact police." |
| A 33-year-old man from Old Hall in Warrington and a 34-year-old man from Great Sankey were arrested the same day and charged with burglary. They will appear at magistrates court this week. | A 33-year-old man from Old Hall in Warrington and a 34-year-old man from Great Sankey were arrested the same day and charged with burglary. They will appear at magistrates court this week. |
| A third man, aged 35, was released on police bail pending further inquiries. | A third man, aged 35, was released on police bail pending further inquiries. |
| Derbyshire has been disabled since 20 August 2008 when he woke up in hospital to be told by doctors he had suffered a brain haemorrhage due to an inoperable Dermoid tumour in his brain. The haemorrhage had caused chemical meningitis that left him with speech, balance, and stroke-like issues. | Derbyshire has been disabled since 20 August 2008 when he woke up in hospital to be told by doctors he had suffered a brain haemorrhage due to an inoperable Dermoid tumour in his brain. The haemorrhage had caused chemical meningitis that left him with speech, balance, and stroke-like issues. |
| Determined to get his life back on track, he began going to the gym and in June 2009 attended a talent transition day at Brunel University, attended by scouts from the GB Paralympics team. | Determined to get his life back on track, he began going to the gym and in June 2009 attended a talent transition day at Brunel University, attended by scouts from the GB Paralympics team. |
| He tried 14 Paralympic sports including basketball, tennis and shooting before settling on wheelchair fencing. A year and a half after taking up the sport, he had won a total of two gold and three silver medals and had become both national champion and Great Britain's sabre champion. | He tried 14 Paralympic sports including basketball, tennis and shooting before settling on wheelchair fencing. A year and a half after taking up the sport, he had won a total of two gold and three silver medals and had become both national champion and Great Britain's sabre champion. |
| An injury prevented him from competing at the London Paralympics last year, but he wants to carry on competing at the top level of the sport. He said: "I was unable to compete at London 2012 because I injured my rotator cuff during training six weeks before the competition. That was devastating enough, and this year was supposed to be me getting back on track, looking ahead to Rio in 2016. | An injury prevented him from competing at the London Paralympics last year, but he wants to carry on competing at the top level of the sport. He said: "I was unable to compete at London 2012 because I injured my rotator cuff during training six weeks before the competition. That was devastating enough, and this year was supposed to be me getting back on track, looking ahead to Rio in 2016. |
| "I want to compete at the highest level on the international stage and I can't do it without my equipment. I need to get it back. I've worked too hard to have this taken from me." | "I want to compete at the highest level on the international stage and I can't do it without my equipment. I need to get it back. I've worked too hard to have this taken from me." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |