Lauren Jeska
Born (1974-09-05) 5 September 1974
Lancaster, Lancashire, England
Alma materOxford University
Leeds University
Known forAttempted murder of Ralph Knibbs
Criminal chargesAttempted murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm
Criminal penalty18 years imprisonment
Criminal statusImprisoned at HM Prison Foston Hall

Lauren Jeska (born 5 September 1974)[1] is a British former fell runner from Lancaster. Jeska, a trans woman,[2] was convicted of the attempted murder of Ralph Knibbs, HR manager for UK Athletics after Knibbs investigated Jeska's eligibility to compete as a woman.

Early life

Jeska was born to parents Pauline and Graham Jameson.[3] Graham Jameson is a mathematician at Lancaster University and both parents are active in Lancaster Baptist Church. She had two younger twin brothers, one of whom had mental health issues and took his own life.[3]

Jeska went to Lancaster Royal Grammar School, running on the cross-country team. She went on to Oxford University, where she studied physics, gaining a first.[3] Jeska began studying for a doctorate there but dropped out of the course. She later attended Leeds University, gaining a master's in 2006 in Gender, Sexuality and Queer Theory.[4][5]

Transitioning and fell-running

During Easter of 1998 Jeska came out to her parents as a trans woman, and had a orchiectomy in 2000. While at Leeds, she took up fell-running, finding immediate success, winning the Blackshaw Head fell race in 2008.[6] She later joined Todmorden Harriers athletics club, and went on to win the 2010 Three Shires Fell Race, the 2011 Liverpool Half Marathon, the 2010, 2011, and 2012 English, and 2012 British Fell Running Championships.[2] After moving to Wales she joined Aberystwyth Athletics Club.

Attempted murder

In June 2015, UK Athletics told Jeska that she would be required to provide blood tests to prove that her hormone levels were within normal female range.[3] Jeska took exception as she felt it would reveal her transgender status publicly. She failed to provide the samples required.[7]

In March 2016 she attacked Ralph Knibbs, a former professional rugby player and UK Athletics HR manager, with a knife at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Jeska stabbed Knibbs in the head and neck, resulting in a 2 cm (0.8 in) hole with blood pumping out. She claimed she feared UK Athletics would strip her of her records and her eligibility to compete against female athletes.[2][7] Jeska also attacked Tim Begley and Kevan Taylor, employees of UKA who came to Knibbs's aid.[7]

In September 2016, she pleaded guilty to attempted murder plus two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Begley and Taylor, and weapons charges for knife possession.[8]

On 15 November 2016, she was scheduled to be detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, but the hearing was adjourned for a month pending further psychiatric reports.[9] Jeska was found during these investigations to have autism.[10][11]

In March 2017, Jeska was jailed for 18 years for the crimes,[12] which severed nerves in Knibbs's body, leaving him with restricted movement, difficulty eating, and limited vision in both eyes.

As of September 2016, Jeska was on remand at HM Prison Foston Hall in Derbyshire.[13] Her racing results were declared null and void.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "IAAF: Lauren JESKA – Profile". iaaf.org.
  2. 1 2 3 Jeska, Lauren (22 September 2016). "Fell-runner Lauren Jeska tried to kill British athletics official because he/she feared the body would revoke his/her titles over transgender status". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Pidd, Helen (17 March 2017). "Jailed transgender fell runner thought UK Athletics was 'trying to kill her'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Pidd, Helen (17 March 2017). "Jailed fell runner thought UK Athletics was 'trying to kill her'". The Guardian.
  5. ↑ Willgress, Lydia (22 September 2016). "Fell-runner Lauren Jeska tried to kill British athletics official because she feared the body would revoke her titles over transgender status". The Telegraph – via Telegraph.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Addison conquers Kendal grid-lock to win Withins". Keighley News. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Lauren Jeska jailed for Alexander Stadium stabbings". BBC News. 14 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "Champion fell-runner Lauren Jeska admits attempted murder". The Guardian. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Yorkshire fell-runner Lauren Jeska to be sentenced to hospital order over murder bid". Yorkshire Post. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  10. ↑ Pidd, Helen (17 March 2017). "Jailed fell runner thought UK Athletics was 'trying to kill her'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Perraudin, Frances (22 September 2016). "Champion fell-runner Lauren Jeska admits attempted murder". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  12. ↑ "Lauren Jeska jailed for Alexander Stadium stabbings". BBC News. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  13. ↑ "Fell-runner Lauren Jeska admits attempted murder of athletics official". Sky News.
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