Judo Hero Bitten...now AIDS?

blankslate · 10/30/2003 10:41pm

Judo hold ends robbery bid

30/10/2003 10:03

Lizel Steenkamp Johannesburg - A judo instructor allegedly broke an armed robber's neck during a wild wrestle, but now fears he might have contracted HIV.

Dick Crafford, 44, of Johannesburg had to receive antiretroviral treatment on Wednesday morning after the robber drew blood by biting Crafford on his fingers and on the right thigh. A piece of tissue and skin was pulled from the index finger on his right hand.

Dr Naseema Barday-Karbanee, who treated Crafford, said bites did not normally pose a big HIV risk, but they had decided not to take any chances. "If the suspect's blood test is negative, we will stop Crafford's antiretroviral treatment.

Crafford, who recently returned from the All Africa Games in Nigeria where he acted as a judo referee, went to fetch money from the Berg shopping centre in Bergbron, Johannesburg, just after 07:00 on Wednesday. He owns an automatic cellphone-card machine in the Spar.

A robber overpowered Crafford and Pieter Grobler, manager of the Spar, while they were counting money in the office. Crafford jumped up to disarm the man. "I bent his hand back. It happened very fast. He was yelling like a madman." A second robber fired a shot in the office and wounded Grobler in his right hand. The second robber fled while Crafford was wrestling with his accomplice.

"The man tried to get up and I held him around his neck. I thought I would wait for the police in this position." The man lost consciousness. "It wasn't my intention to kill him. I thought he had fainted. I am very hurt by this. I am sorry for him and his family."

Inspector Susan Storm said two suspects fled after their accomplice died. "The robber's neck might have been broken, but a post-mortem will have to confirm this."

Crafford said he wasn't being courageous. "I have practised to disarm a person and knew what to expect. He was much taller than me and aggressive - I just wanted to save our lives," said Crafford. The pistol with which Grobler was shot was reported as stolen in Hillbrow earlier on Wednesday morning. A video recording on the closed-circuit television cameras in the Spar will be used to identify the other suspects.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...437559,00.html

**Deadpan Scientist** · Posted On: 10/30/2003 11:03pm

heh...

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 12:07am

Kick ass....except for the HIV crap...

**Noodlepower** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 12:26am

goes to prove that disarming techniques do work...if you have the balls and skills to do so.

**SLJ** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 3:03am

He shouldn't be worried about him. That fucker was in there armed to comit a crime, he got what he deserved.

I'd be more worried about the HIV. Hope he's alright.

**blankslate** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 8:34am

...and to think that Judo is just a "sport".

This HIV thing reminds me of the biting threads as well.

**The Wastrel** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 8:56am

You know how it reminds me of them? Because he bit, and still got his weak ass killed. If your "anti-grappling" consists of "D00d I got teh H1V!" you're in trouble.

**SLJ** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 9:03am

Wastrel = Correct. All the "I'd just bite" tossers can kindly STFU.

I also think the title is a wee bit misleading. Now AIDS!!! is a bit over the top, as hopefully he hasn't even got HIV.

**blankslate** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 9:36am

Wastrel, yes.

SLJ, correct, I must have caught a rush of the sensationalism bug. HIV comes first, AIDS is the follow on syndrome. We hope this Judoka doesn't even have HIV of course.

I wonder if I can go back and edit the title.

**fragbot** · Posted On: 10/31/2003 11:03am

Keerist, if there was one country in the world where you don't want to get bitten, it would be South Aprika. Isn't the adult infection rate around 25%? Damn, come to think of it, I'd bet it's even higher in the street criminal population.