British tourist arrested for attempted murder while on holiday at Disneyland

British holidaymaker Mark Gibbon has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly tried to drown his daughter-in-law near Disney World.

The 62-year-old was staying with family at the Solterra Resort in Davenport, near Disney World, when an argument broke out over a will.

Gibbon, a granddad from Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, allegedly tried to push his daughter-in-law, Jasmine Wyld, 33, under the water, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. 

His nine-year-old granddaughter attempted to save her mum and jumped into the pool, but Gibbon pushed her away, police said.

Detectives said: ‘He advised that she could not breathe and believed that she was going to drown.

‘[The victim] advised that she had to fight Mark in order to get away from him and from under the water but he kept pushing her back under.’

Two women are said to have told Gibbon, a lighting technician, they had called police which made him stop the attempted drowning, and he was taken into custody.

A witness told officers she ‘observed him push the victim under the water and hold her there multiple times’ and watched as he ‘scratched her on her chest’, according to US website People.

He is reported to have admitted to police he pushed his daughter-in-law under the water, but he denied trying to drown her.

He was charged with attempted second-degree murder and battery.

Jasmine shares two children with Gibbon’s son Alex.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said: ‘It’s great that Polk County draws visitors from all across the world, but we expect vacationers to behave while they visit with us, just as we expect our lifelong 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.’  

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