‘It’s been absolutely overwhelming’
A GoFundMe page for a dad jailed for crashing into two burglars who stole a motorbike from his home has passed £151,000.
As of Friday afternoon, £151,690 had been raised for Adam White who was sentenced to 22 months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving following the incident in Leighton Buzzard in September 2019.
White, a 34-year-old dad-of-two was the subject of an episode of Channel 4 show 24 Hours in Police Custody which told how two burglars targeted the home he shares with his wife, Lindsay, 34, and children aged 8 and 10.
The burglars, Taylor Benford and Ryan Paul, both 25, fled White’s house with a stolen motorbike, with White giving chase in his car.
On the programme, White described how he “didn’t realise how sharp” a bend in the road was and ploughed into the two motorbikes, causing serious injuries to the burglars.
Bodycam footage showed White getting arrested by police officers and asking them: “Am I in trouble? I’m not going to prison for this am I?”
In February, White he was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment for causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Luton Crown Court. He also spent £50,000, via credit cards, savings and loans to cover his legal fees.
Benford and Paul both escaped jail time, receiving suspended sentences and 200 hours of community service each.
Both have previous convictions for theft, criminal damage, reckless driving, drug dealing, and shoplifting.
White was released in September, but his story only appeared on Channel 4 on Monday, prompting the outpouring of support through the GoFundMe page.
In a video on social media, the couple said: “Thank you all for watching the show last night. We were a little bit worried about the backlash of that programme being aired but I think it’s gone absolutely crazy.
We have decided to do a little video to give our appreciation and how humbled we are with the public support from everyone. Thank you all so much love for everyone. Thank you Adam & Lindsay#24hoursinpolicecustody #adamwhite @ninnins2022 @TattooedAndBald pic.twitter.com/NLNQRgwHeP
— Adam White (@WhitePropertyS1) November 29, 2022
🧡 Thank you@TattooedAndBald @ninnins2022 @Channel4 #24hoursinpolicecustody #24HoursPoliceCustody
X pic.twitter.com/wYBSr8Dstq— Adam White (@WhitePropertyS1) December 1, 2022
“I want to say thank you to everyone for the support it’s been absolutely overwhelming. We’re working through everyone’s messages. It’s been emotional so thank you so much.
“Massive thank you to Scott for setting up the GoFundMe page, I can’t thank you enough for the help and support. It will help pay off some of our debt, loans and credit cards and hopefully we can replace some of our savings as well.”
The GoFundMe, ‘Give Adam White justice’, reads: “He was put away for 22 months for knocking them off their stole bike, and they got zero prison time.
“He spent £50k of his life savings. Let’s get it back to him!! ”
“I have been in touch with Adam’s wife, Lindsay, who will be transferring the funds directly from the fundraiser. Thank you for all the support so far.”
The page was updated on Thursday by Lindsay, who wrote: “We are overwhelmed with the support that everyone has given us and I cannot thank you all enough.
“We truly can’t believe how generous and thoughtful all our donors are. “Every word of support has encouraged us to remain strong and has put a warmth in our hearts that we thought lost 3 years ago.
“We feel so incredibly thankful for the money everyone has raised to help us get back our losses, and thanks to all of you, we have.
“At this stage I would like to take this opportunity to say to anyone who wishes to donate to the page, we will be passing on any future funds from now to Charity, to honour the loss of our baby.
“We will update further information on the page shortly. “Again, thank you all so much, it is time for us to move forward and start afresh with the life you all have given us back.”
White himself said: “Thank you to everyone for your kind words and heartfelt sympathy.
“We have been through an awful lot, it was hard seeing this on TV and with all the messages “I’ve received has been amazing and very emotional I honestly can’t believe the public is behind me.
“This is unreal the support from everyone. “My wife has just told me some people have set up a GoFundMe, and it honestly breaks my heart.
“Thank you, everyone from the bottom of my heart, I’m lost for words.”
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