Lauren Jeska: Transgender athlete jailed for trying to kill athletics boss at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium
A former champion fell-runner has been jailed for 18 years for the attempted murder of a UK Athletics official after a row about test samples.
Lauren Jeska, a transgender athlete, left Ralph Knibbs with life-threatening stab injuries after taking two knives to his office at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium in March last year.
Sentencing Jeska, 42, of Machynlleth, Powys, Judge Simon Drew QC said her crime had been a "cool, calculated attack" which had been "wholly unprovoked".
Two of Mr Knibbs' colleagues were also injured after tackling Jeska as she launched what prosecutors called a "frenzied" assault.
Jeska had previously admitted attempting to murder former Bristol RFC centre Mr Knibbs, who was UK Athletics' head of human resources.
On March 22 last year, she drove from her home in Wales to Birmingham, calmly signing herself in at the office, before arming herself with two large kitchen knives she had concealed in a rucksack.
She then strode into the open-plan UK Athletics office, following the receptionist and seeking out Mr Knibbs before launching a bloody assault in which she repeatedly rained blows down on his head and neck.
One eyewitness said Jeska looked "as though she were trying to skewer meat".
Opening the case, Richard Atkins QC, said: "The defendant is a transgender athlete in dispute with UK Athletics about eligibility to compete as a male athlete.
"She had not provided the relevant samples to her testosterone levels and other relevant documentation."
As a result, her racing results had been declared null and void, the court heard.
The week before the attack, Mr Knibbs had gone to meet Jeska at her home to discuss the "long-term" issue with the sporting governing body.
