Man jailed for 'Web-rage' attack

**voivod** · 11.17.06, 08:19 AM

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A British man said to have carried out the country's first "Web rage" attack was jailed for 2-1/2 years on Friday for assaulting a man with whom he had exchanged insults over the Internet.

Paul Gibbons, 47, from south London, admitted he had attacked John Jones in December 2005 after months of exchanging abuse with him via an Internet chat room dedicated to discussing Islam.

London's central criminal court heard that Gibbons had "taken exception" to Jones, 43, after Jones alleged that Gibbons had been "interfering with children."

After several more verbal and written exchanges, during which Jones threatened to track down Gibbons and give him a severe beating, Gibbons and a friend went to his victim's house in Essex, east of London, armed with a pickaxe and a machete.

Jones himself was armed with a knife but Gibbons seized it from him, held it to his throat and "scratched" him across the neck, the court was told.

Gibbons, who the court heard had previous convictions for "violent offenses," pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding on the first day of his trial last month.

Other charges of attempted murder and issuing online threats to kill four other chatroom users were not pursued but could be reactivated in future if he reoffends.

Media reports said it was Britain's first "web-rage" attack and Judge Richard Hawkins said the circumstances were "unusual."

"This case highlights the dangers of Internet chat rooms, particularly with regard to giving personal details that will allow other users to discover home addresses," said Detective Sergeant Jean-Marc Bazzoni of Essex Police.

**Kevy5150** · 11.17.06, 08:22 AM

LOL!

Another step into the postmodern era.

**vanzefflin** · 11.17.06, 08:23 AM

Has anyone heard from Squalen or Max today?

**Scotty** · 11.17.06, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by vanzefflin

Has anyone heard from Squalen or Max today?

Maybe their last gunfight ended in a draw.

**chefcraig** · 11.17.06, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by voivod

"This case highlights the dangers of Internet chat rooms, particularly with regard to giving personal details that will allow other users to discover home addresses," said Detective Sergeant Jean-Marc Bazzoni of Essex Police.

And thus having a series of deadbeat Linkers showing up at one's house, asking to crash "just for the evening".

Four days later, one's food, alcohol and other sundries are depleted, the pets are missing, the place looks like a zepellin landed on it and it also smells like ass.

**Axxman300** · 11.17.06, 03:58 PM

I was gonna post a thread asking the mods what kinds of threats they get when the ban somebody or close a thread?

**LLFHS** · 11.17.06, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by Axxman300

I was gonna post a thread asking the mods what kinds of threats they get when the ban somebody or close a thread?

Aw man, that would be better than watching live police chases.

**Wolfgang_'99** · 11.18.06, 02:11 PM

Funny

**Goo** · 11.18.06, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Axxman300

I was gonna post a thread asking the mods what kinds of threats they get when the ban somebody or close a thread?

I once had a guy email me wanting to send me a 'bucket of his Mom's menstrual blood'. What the hell would I do with it? Feed the roses? Tie die a T-shirt?

Doesnt seem so bad now but in the earlier days, we used to get lots of interesting offers. No big deal tho, laugh it off in the mods room and get on with it.