Mark Gibbon: British grandfather accused of attempting to murder daughter-in-law set to be formally charged

The British grandfather who was accused of trying to drown his daughter-in-law, who is also understood to be his girlfriend, is set to be formally charged with attempted murder.

The family had been staying at the Solterra Resort in Davenport, about 65km south of Orlando, when the shocking incident occurred over a week ago.

What began as a verbal spat over Mark Gibbon’s will quickly turned into violence, with the nasty confrontation between the 62-year-old and Jasmine Wyld ending in the resort’s swimming pool.

In a jaw-dropping twist, it was revealed by a source close to the family that the pair have been in a romantic relationship for the past two years after they both separated from their partners.

Mr Gibbon, a wealthy lighting engineer who has worked with some of the biggest stars in pop music, is expected to be refused bail as US prosecutors see him as a “flight risk”, an insider revealed to The Sun.

He has already appeared in court twice on two battery charges; however, his attempted murder hearing on Monday is a “different level of seriousness”.

“He could technically be eligible for bail, but because of his wealth and the fact (that) he is a British citizen, a judge may consider him too high a flight risk,” the source said.

“If bail were to be considered, then he would have to surrender his passport and have to agree to wear a monitoring device.

“He will be taken from his cell and transported to court in shackles and handcuffs but they may be removed inside the courtroom at the discretion of the judge,” the insider added.

According to the police report, Ms Wyld was held underwater multiple times and sustained a cut to her chest.

Mr Gibbon’s nine-year-old granddaughter witnessed the furious row and even became involved herself, trying to push her grandfather off her mother during the struggle in the pool.

While admitting to forcing his daughter-in-law’s head underwater “a few times”, Mr Gibbon claims it was never his intention to drown her.

Both Mr Gibbon and Ms Wyld told police they were not dating; however, detectives are looking into claims they have been romantically involved for years.

A family source told the Daily Mail that Mr Gibbon and Ms Wyld became close after they both separated from their respective partners.

“Mark and Jasmine have been seeing each other for a few years, but they’ve never admitted it,” the source revealed.

“They do an awful lot together and they go away on holiday with the children a couple of times every year.

“I don’t know for sure what happened on this holiday and why Mark has apparently tried to drown her.

“But I have been told that Jasmine was unhappy that they have been in a relationship for a few years and she is not named in his will.”

Ms Wyld separated from Mr Gibbon’s son, Alex, in 2021. Though no longer a couple, they continue to raise their two children together.

Meanwhile, Mr Gibbon divorced his wife and now resides alone in a million-dollar property in Beaconsfield, which he bought in 2023.

Past tensions between Mr Gibbon and his son had already created serious rifts within the family.

In 2024, Alex served a prison sentence after an explosive confrontation in which he reportedly drove an £80,000 ($164,000) Porsche Cayenne into his father.

The year before, the two had also publicly fallen out when Alex suddenly left the family business under unexplained circumstances.

The insider confirmed that father and son are no longer in contact.