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GEMMA Williams at college - thieves stole her specialised laptop.
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Thieves steal dyslexic student’s laptop
15/ 3/2007
A HOPWOOD Hall student who can only read upside down has been left devastated after thieves stole her specially adapted laptop.
Gemma Williams, who is studying towards a sports diploma, has a rare form of dyslexia which meant that from the age of three she could only read and write upside down and back to front and needed to turn her computer monitor on its head.
The specially adapted laptop was given to her by RM Computers after they read of her plight last year and Gemma has appealed to whoever has taken it to return her 'lifeline'.
She said: "It's of no use to anyone else and it's not the kind of thing you could sell but it's very important to me.
"It makes it so much easier to do my work and the company were really kind to give it to me.
"It is very distinctive as all the keys are the primary colours and the make, RM computers, would not be one people would recognise.
"I just hope that if anyone has it or sees it they will get in touch because it has been a lifeline for me and I really need it back."
To add to Gemma's woes, important work which will count towards her qualification is stored on the computer and she now faces the prospect of having to start all over again with a key assignment for which the deadline is looming.
Her mother Joan said: "It is so sad because what could be a trivial device for another person is everything to her. You just can't put a price on what was stolen.
"I just want to ask the person who took it to listen to their conscience."
The laptop was snatched from changing rooms at Hopwood Hall College's Middleton campus last Tuesday, along with Gemma's MP3 player and mobile phone.
It is believed that the theft was committed by people from outside the campus who gained access to the college, not by other students, and the head of student services, Ted Taylor, has been made aware of the incident.
A Hopwood Hall spokesman said: "This matter is being investigated and the college is committed to the safety and security of its students and staff".
Most recent 2 of 5 user comments
also she could replace her laptop with any ATI powered laptop and use a good enamel paint to color code the keyboard
22/03/2007 at 04:48
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Gemma, I hope you get your stuff back. I hope simply because of the uniqueness of your device, the criminals will return it undamaged since it is of little value on the black maket.
This has really saddenned my day.
-- David
23/03/2007 at 03:21