Brit woman whose ‘father-in-law turn lover tried to drown her' pleads for release of ‘best friend' as he's denied bail
Mark Gibbon, 62, has been accused of attempting to murder Jasmine Wyld, 33, by repeatedly holding her head underwater in a pool during a vacation in Florida.
Advertisement
6
Hairdresser Jasmine Wyld, 33, has pleaded for the freedom of her father in law
Credit: Facebook
6
Mark Gibbon, 62, remains behind bars on charges of attempted murder
Credit: The Mega Agency
6
Ms Wyld described her father-in-law as 'best friend'
Mr Gibbon, a wealthy lighting engineer, is claimed to have struck a relationship with Ms Wyld - who was once married to his son Alex.
Both of them have denied the claims.
Ms Wyld, who is now back in the UK, broke her silence to speak about the Brit grandad, whom she described as her "best friend", The Times reports.
Speaking to a court in Florida via video link, she said: "I have always felt very safe around Mark and him being around my two children.
Advertisement
"This has only come as a bit of a shock to me ... I can only sing his praises for what a fantastic grandfather he is."
Ms Wyld previously told prosecutors she "could not breathe" and feared "she would drown", according to the Polk County Sheriff's office.
It was her nine-year-old daughter who is said to have leapt into the pool to try to "save" her mother.
Police reports said Mr Gibbon's alleged attack left her with scratches and bruising.
Advertisement
The Brit grandad from Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and two counts of battery.
Ms Wyld spoke in favour of a motion submitted by Mr Gibbon's lawyer, calling for his release from custody.
Brit faces 20 years in jail as she pleads guilty to killing dad of two with e-scooter
However, a Judge denied the request and said that Ms Wyld's testimony contradicts the sworn statement she gave on the day of the alleged drowning.
They added: "Quite frankly, her testimony is of great concern to this court."
Advertisement
Officials at Polk County Prison, where Mr Gibbon continues to remain in custody, previously refused to comment on his detention conditions for safety reasons.
Neighbours in Beaconsfield described Ms Wyld as the Brit granddad's "girlfriend" - and said she was often seen at his £800,000 semi-detached home.
One neighbour told The Sun: "Everybody is shocked by this."
Another, who said she was Wyld's friend, recalled: "Jasmine used to stay here a lot with the children. But I don't want to say much more because she is a friend of mine."
Advertisement
Family insiders claim tensions erupted years ago when Gibbon's son Alex allegedly found Wyld in his father's bed.
'About four years ago there was a big fall-out,' one source the Daily Mail.
6
Mr Gibbon and Ms Wyld have been pictured together on several occasions since their separations from their partners
Credit: Facebook
6
Ms Wyld with her former husband Mr Alex, with who she shares two children together
Advertisement
'Alex went up the stairs and found Jasmine in his father's bed. They had a massive row. It's torn the family apart… there's been so much bad blood between Alex and his dad.'
Alex, 32, and Wyld separated in 2021 but share two young children.
The feud deepened when Alex was jailed for driving an £80,000 Porsche Cayenne into his father during a public row.
He was released six months ago, and father and son no longer speak.
Advertisement
Gibbon, who also runs hairdressing business Sage Hairdressing, allegedly pushed Wyld underwater during the Florida row after telling her she was not the main beneficiary of his will.
He reportedly admitted pushing her but denied trying to kill her, claiming they had both been drinking, she slapped him, and the situation escalated.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said: 'We expect vacationers to behave while they visit with us, just as we expect our life-long residents to do the same.
'Because Mr Gibbon couldn't control his anger, he may find himself spending a lot more time in Florida than he had anticipated.'
Advertisement
If convicted on all charges, Gibbon could face up to 20 years in jail.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Cops reveal mystery ‘dog motive' in horror double murder after pregnant woman killed and husband's head put on spike
The suspect allegedly visited a McDonald's after the double murder BRUTAL ATTACK Cops reveal mystery 'dog motive' in horror double murder after pregnant woman killed and husband's head put on spike POLICE have revealed the mysterious double murder of a pregnant woman and her decapitated husband may have been related to a dispute over dogs. Athena Georgopoulos, 39, was found dead alongside her husband Andrew Gunn, 50, whose head is understood to have been stuck to a stick. 6 Athena Georgopoulos and Andrew Gunn may have been killed over a dog dispute, cops allege Credit: Supplied 6 Footage showed Ross Judd, being arrested about an hour after the bodies were found Credit: 9News Advertisement 6 Chilling graffiti was plastered over the home they were found in Credit: 7news Ross Judd, a 34-year-old homeless man, was arrested at Westall train station in Melbourne, Australia, and was later charged with two counts of murder. Working to establish a motive for the brutal killings, cops have now revealed that the ordeal may have been related to an argument about dogs. The alleged quarrel took place between Matthew, who owned a german shepherd, and Judd, who was found with two dogs of the same breed when he was arrested. Advertisement Matthew's dog was named Dragon, local neighbours reported. READ MORE world NEWS HORROR SCENE Neighbour finds decapitated head on SPIKE as pregnant woman & husband murdered One neighbour alleged they heared loud arguing and shouting as well as continuous barking from dogs coming from the victims' home - only an hour before their deaths. Judd was reportedly spotted with two dogs when he allegedly visited a McDonald's about an hour after the bodies were found. Athena was five months pregnant when she died and was expecting a baby girl. Advertisement The neighbour who made the harrowing discovery, Ben Scott-Sandvik, told the Herald Sun: "I mean, no one should have to come across what I saw down there." He added: "And nobody needs to live knowing that this sort of thing has happened to their families.' Cops dramatically swarmed the property the couple were in on Monday night after a neighbour heard screams and alerted police. Brit faces 20 years in jail as she pleads guilty to killing dad of two with e-scooter Suspected killer Judd appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday. A police prosecutor said: "It's a complex crime scene, a significant amount of DNA." Advertisement Grim footage of his arrest reportedly showed the suspect dressed in a blood-stained white T-shirt while being gripped by an officer. The man appears on his knees before he is pulled to his feet on the station platform as another officer points at the ground. Police allege the accused murderer was known to the couple, and that one of the victims lived in the unit. An alleged motive for remains unclear - but it has been speculated the case may be drug-related. 6 The suspect was with two German shepherd dogs when he was arrested (stock) Credit: Getty Advertisement 6 Athena was expecting a baby girl Credit: Facebook Chilling graffiti sprayed across the couple's home read: 'Karma is not a menu.' Vegan slogans like 'meat is murder' were also plastered across the property wall, alongside haunting words like 'betrayal", "unpredictable" and "inevitable'. The messy graffiti, which was sprayed in luminous yellow, green and black paint also included derogatory and aggressive phrases like "U R Gay" and "Enough is Enough". A police spokesperson said: 'Police are aware of graffiti on the property in Mount Waverley where the bodies of two people were located last night. Advertisement 'Homicide Squad detectives will work to determine if the graffiti is relevant to the murder investigation.' Local inspector Dean Thomas said the arrested man was known to the pair. He said on Tuesday morning: "We believe that there is a link between our suspect and the address." The officer added: "Police were called at about 9.20pm in relation to a welfare check at the address based on some yelling that was heard from the property. 'A second call was then made that suggested it was perhaps more urgent than what the first call was and police arrived minutes later, and obviously they found the male and female inside the premises deceased. Advertisement 'We believe he [the suspect] may be of no fixed place of abode. 'It appears to be targeted and our suspect is known to the address.' Judd is due to face court again on January 13, 2026. 6 Athena was five-months pregnant when she died Credit: Facebook
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Ex-Marine sobs as he appears in court accused of mowing down crowd in Liverpool parade rampage – as more charges added
PARADE HORROR Ex-Marine sobs as he appears in court accused of mowing down crowd in Liverpool parade rampage – as more charges added A FORMER Marine sobbed as he appeared in court today accused of using his car as a "weapon" to mow down crowds at the Liverpool victory parade. Paul Doyle was held after 134 people including a six-month-old baby were injured in the horror on May 26. 7 Paul Doyle has appeared in court charged over the Liverpool crash rampage Credit: Facebook 7 Footage showed the car driving through a crowd 7 Police swooped on the vehicle as the crowds were scattered 7 Police confirmed 134 people were injured in the horror Credit: PA The 53-year-old is accused of dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent. Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, is also charged with wounding with intent to cause GBH and attempted GBH. The dad-of-three appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today where wept throughout proceedings. He was due to enter a plea but the judge adjourned the case until September 4 after more charges were added to the indictment. Reporting restrictions were added on some of the complainants, who are aged six months, ten, 12, 13 and 17. The court heard previously Doyle had "driven deliberately" into the crowd of football fans and allegedly used his car as a "weapon". Merseyside Police previously out terrorism as a possible motive for the alleged attack. Doyle was a Royal Marine commando but is now understood to be a businessman who ran a now-dissolved firm. He has previously competed in triathlons and enjoyed luxury holidays. Neighbours in his quiet suburb claimed his wife only found out about the crash when she saw the car on the news. The carnage unfolded as thousands of Liverpool fans packed the streets to watch the title winners parade the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. It was the first time since 1990 that fans could celebrate a title win with a parade after their 2020 success came during the pandemic. But the festivities quickly turned to horror when a dark grey Ford Galaxy suddenly appeared in Water Street. Merseyside Police confirmed the car had followed an ambulance beyond the cordon as medics were called to help a member of the public having a suspected heart attack. Mobile phone footage showed it ploughing into the crowd as screams were heard. It then came to a stop as fearless fans rushed over in a bid to drag the driver from the car. But the vehicle then lurched forward again - sending pedestrians scattering before finally coming to a standstill. Fire crews arrived to find four people trapped under the vehicle, including a child, and worked quickly to free them. Sir Keir Starmer released a statement at the time, saying: "The scenes in Liverpool are appalling - my thoughts are with all those injured or affected. "I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident. "I'm being kept updated on developments and ask that we give the police the space they need to investigate." While Liverpool FC said: "We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident. "We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident." 7 The dad is a former Royal Marine 7 Thousands had flooded the streets when the horror unfolded Credit: PA
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Mystery as bodies of FOUR men are pulled from Seine in Paris after train passenger spotted floating corpse
DEATH RIDDLE Mystery as bodies of FOUR men are pulled from Seine in Paris after train passenger spotted floating corpse FOUR people have been found dead in the Seine River in Paris after a horrified train passenger spotted a floating corpse. Police rushed to the harrowing scene before recovering the bodies from the river in Choisy-le-Roi, Val-de-Marne, in the French capital on Wednesday. 1 Police found four dead bodies in the Seine River in Paris (stock) Credit: Reuters Cops were joined by river brigade authorities who helped to bring the bodies out of the water, Actu17 reported. More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
