General Chat

Internet chatroom users have been warned to protect their identities after a man was convicted of Britain's first 'web-rage' attack. Paul Gibbons, 47, tracked down John Jones, 43, after they exchanged insults on the internet, the Old Bailey heard. The attacker found Mr Jones's address after the father-of-three put personal details about himself online. Gibbons, a man with a violent past, then arrived at his victim's home in Clacton, Essex, armed with a pickaxe handle and with another man carrying a machete. Ibitayo Adebayo, prosecuting, told the court Mr Jones had opened the door holding a knife for protection. He said: 'There was a scuffle on the landing between this defendant and the victim. The victim ended up on the floor and was beaten with the pickaxe handle.' Gibbons had taken the knife away from Mr Jones and was attacking him with it as Mr Jones tried to fight him off, he said. Gibbons told him: 'Jones, if you carry on, I will kill you,' the court heard. He fled after blood started trickling down Mr Jones's face and his partner emerged from the bathroom and called for help. After Gibbons was arrested, he was found to have boasted about what he was going to do in a chatroom to another user. One message read: 'It went perfectly to plan.' Gibbons, of Southwark, south London, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and was remanded in custody for sentencing on November 7. Mr Adebayo said the two men met while using an Internet chatroom called Yahoo Islam 10 as they were both interested in the Islamic faith and had Muslim friends. They communicated without problems for some time but after a break of a month, Gibbons accused Mr Jones of spreading rumours about him to other chatroom visitors. Mr Adebayo said: 'There was an exchange of views between the victim and the defendant which were threatening on both sides. Certainly there was some hostility between the two.' After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Jean-Marc Bazzoni, of Essex Police, said: 'This case demonstrates how careful you must be about protecting your identity. 'Mr Evans had posted pictures of his family on the web and had chatted to Gibbons on an audio link. 'It demonstrates how easily other users can put two and two together and also shows how children could also find themselves in danger.'

Makes you think???? LOU XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yes, you're right David... When i joined, internet 'chatting' was very new to me..I felt quite at 'ease' talking about my family, where i live, etc... I put pics on the photos pages and never once thought anything of it... I do think people should think very carefully about info they give out...This is not going to be the first, or last time this sort of idiotic thing happens!!! LOU XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX BTW, good point about all the 'gushing' that goes on, especially when people have been proven to be liars, vindictive, threatening ect......!?