The incident was the culmination of a months-long internet chat
room feud. Gibbons and John Jones had conducted an abusive fight on
a chat room dedicated to discussion of Islam and Jones had said
that Gibbons had been "interfering with children", the court
heard.
That caused Gibbons to find out where Jones lived and to drive
70 miles to Essex, with a friend, armed with a pick axe and a
machete. They found Jones armed with a knife, which Gibbons took
off him.
Gibbons held the knife to Jones's throat and 'scratched' him
across the neck. Gibbons had previously threatened to track Jones
down and beat him severely.
Gibbons has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail after
admitting unlawful wounding on the first day of his Old Bailey
trial. He was also charged with attempted murder and issuing
threats to kill four other chat room users.
Those charges were not pursued but could be looked at a later
date should Gibbons re-offend.
Jones had posted enough information about himself online for
Gibbons to find out where he lived. "Mr Jones had posted pictures
of his family on the web and had chatted to Gibbons on an audio
link," said Detective Sergeant Jean-Marc Bazzoni of Essex police.
"It demonstrates how easily other users can put two and two
together, and also shows how children could also find themselves in
danger."
