Olympic diver Blake Aldridge arrested for 'shoplifting

[Lewis]

Olympic diver Blake Aldridge arrested for 'shoplifting and attacking supermarket security guard'

It's not the first time he's found himself in deep water.

But today Olympic diver Blake Aldridge was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and attacking a supermarket security guard.

The synchronised diver, whose partner in the 2008 Games was the 15-year-old current world champion Tom Daley, is alleged to have punched a security guard after being caught stealing several bottles of wine and alcopops worth £13 from Tesco.

Police were called to a disturbance outside a store in Beckenham in the early hours of Friday when a member of staff was allegedly punched in the face after apparently confronting the drunken athlete.

Witnesses told police that Aldridge appeared to be wide-eyed and unsteady on his feet when he entered the 24-hour store with a friend around 2.30am.

The pair allegedly went to the self-service counter but neither paid for the alcohol and later they allegedly walked out of the store with two bottles of red wine and some alcopops stashed in a carrier bag.

When challenged by a security guard outside, Aldridge is alleged to have become abusive and punched him in the face, leaving the victim with a bloody nose.

During the scuffle, his unnamed friend is said to have escaped before security guards could catch him.

Aldridge was subsequently arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and actual bodily harm.

Officers were examining CCTV footage of the pair's movements throughout the store after Aldridge claimed he thought his friend had bought the alcohol, although he said he was drunk at the time.

The controversial figure, who came eighth at the 2008 Olympics in the 10m synchronised dive with Daley, has had a chequered career.

The dive pair fell out after he blamed Daley - who at 14 was Britain's second-youngest Olympian - for sinking their medal chances.

Aldridge was also criticised for making a phone call to his mother in between two dives in the final of the 10-metre platform contest.

Last year he was forced to withdraw from the British Championships after being knocked out in an alleged brawl at a nightclub in Southampton.

His former partner Daley later went on to win gold in the 10-metre individual platform at the Fina World Championships.

His coach Gill Snode said she knew nothing of the alleged assault.

The British Olympic Association were also unaware that he was facing possible charges.

But a source said: 'Blake has moved around a lot, he has a chequered past and has made a lot of silly mistakes.'

A spokesman for British Swimming said: 'British Swimming has been in contact with the Metropolitan Police who have confirmed that Blake Aldridge has been bailed until 18 March following an incident in Beckenham on Friday, 19 February.

'British swimming will continue to monitor the situation.'

A spokesman for the Met said: 'Police were called at approximately 2.30am on Friday 19 February to reports of shoplifters causing a disturbance at Tesco, Croydon Road, Beckenham.

'Officers attended and arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of ABH and shoplifting.

'A second alleged suspect had already left prior to police arrival.

'The 27-year-old was taken into custody at a south London police station where he was later bailed to return to in mid-March pending further enquiries.'

Website: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... guard.html

[sparkle]

Some people just have such a sense of entitlement. Disgusting.

[i_like_1981]

Yeah, I've had enough of these idiot sports players swaggering round in their own pride thinking they're above everything else that breathes. It seems to me that there is one set of rules for the common person and another, more laid-back set of rules for the sports participant who plays at a decent level. I liked the first line of that article "It's not the first time he's found himself in deep water." Let's hope this water is a little deeper than usual for him!

Best regards,
i_like_1981