Violent Pool Confrontation Over Inheritance
A British grandfather who allegedly attempted to drown his daughter-in-law during a heated argument about his will while holidaying in Florida has avoided prison time and will return to the UK.
Mark R. Gibbon, 62, from Beaconsfield, England, was arrested in August after reportedly holding his 33-year-old daughter-in-law Jasmine Wyld underwater during a confrontation about inheritance arrangements at a Florida resort.
The dramatic incident unfolded on August 3 at the Solterra Resort in Davenport, near Walt Disney World, when what began as a drinking-fuelled discussion about Gibbon's will turned physical.
Daughter's Heroic Intervention
According to arrest documents obtained by Law & Crime, the situation escalated dramatically when Gibbon allegedly pushed Wyld underwater multiple times and held her down.
Wyld told investigators she repeatedly declared she "could not breathe and was going to drown" during the struggle in the rental property's backyard pool.
The terrifying scene prompted Wyld's nine-year-old daughter to jump into the pool in an attempt to protect her mother from her grandfather's attack. Authorities reported that despite the child's courageous intervention, Gibbon allegedly shoved his granddaughter aside and continued his assault.
It was only when Wyld noticed neighbours nearby and screamed for them to call 911 that the attack stopped. Two sisters from Ohio who were vacationing next door alerted the Polk County Sheriff's Office, who arrived at the scene just before 5:20pm.
Unexpected Outcome in Court
Gibbon was initially taken into custody without bond on serious charges including second-degree murder and battery by strangulation. A month after his arrest, he secured temporary release after paying $25,000 bail plus $1,000 in fees.
In a surprising turn of events earlier this month, Judge Michelle Pincket released Gibbon on time served after he pleaded guilty to battery and a lesser charge. The more serious charges of second-degree murder and strangulation were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
The State Attorney's Office revealed that Wyld had requested Gibbon's release and return to England, believing he had been "punished enough" for the ordeal. "She had no fear of him," officials added in their statement to Sky News.
Instead of prison time, Gibbon was ordered to pay $1,308.68 in fines and fees and complete an anger management course. The court finalized the deal on November 7, ordering Gibbon's passport returned so he could travel back to the United Kingdom.
Complex Family Background
The case reveals a complicated family history that extends beyond the Florida incident. Daily Mail reports uncovered that Gibbon was in a romantic relationship with Wyld, who is his son's ex-partner.
Two years prior to this incident, Gibbon's son Alex was sentenced to two years in prison for running over his father with a $97,000 Porsche following an argument about the family business in May 2023.
A family source revealed that Alex Gibbon no longer speaks to his father and feels "an awful betrayal" about the relationship between his father and the mother of his two children.
Following his arrest in August, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd had warned that Gibbon might "find himself spending a lot more time in Florida than he had anticipated," but the ultimate court decision has allowed the British grandfather to return home without serving additional jail time.
