A fired nursery worker threatened to burn the facility “to the ground” and “slit staff’s throats”
Stacey Gibson, a 33-year-old former employee of Pebbles Nursery and Pre-School, has been sentenced to a four-year prison term following her threatening behavior towards the staff and former owners of the nursery. The Leeds Crown Court learned of the severe nature of her threats, which included menacing statements about slitting throats and setting the nursery ablaze.
Her alarming threats extended to the personal safety of the nursery’s ex-owner and her husband, with Gibson explicitly stating her intent to kill them. The history of Gibson’s misconduct traces back to December 2018 when she was dismissed from her position at the nursery due to gross misconduct.
The court’s proceedings revealed that her actions were not isolated incidents but part of a prolonged campaign of intimidation and harassment against those associated with the nursery. Judge Tahir Khan KC, during the sentencing, highlighted the vendetta Gibson harbored against the nursery’s staff and owners, emphasizing the persistence and determination behind her threats, told Yorkshire Evening Post.
Gibson’s troubling behavior led to her previous incarcerations in March 2020 and April 2021 for similar offenses directed at the nursery’s former owner and employees. Despite being subjected to a restraining order that barred her from contacting the staff or approaching the nursery premises in Leeds’ Yeadon district, Gibson flouted these restrictions.
Her relentless pursuit resurfaced in October when she attempted to reinitiate contact with the ex-owners through Facebook, starting with apologetic messages that quickly escalated to a barrage of threats when her attempts were rebuffed. The court heard that within three days, from October 28 to 30, Gibson inundated the ex-owners with 45 messages, a significant portion of which contained direct threats to their safety.
This led to a palpable sense of fear and distress for the recipients, impacting their personal and professional lives profoundly. The former nursery owner, in her victim impact statement, recounted the toll Gibson’s actions had taken on her, forcing her to sell the nursery and leaving her in constant fear for her safety.
Eddison Flint, representing Gibson, portrayed her as a figure marred by mental health issues, acknowledging the gravity of her actions and their repercussions on the nursery and its associated individuals. Flint’s comments painted a picture of a tragic cycle of reoffending, where Gibson’s periods of incarceration were punctuated by brief releases before inevitably leading to further offenses.
This case sheds light on the severe implications of harassment and threats on individuals and businesses, underscoring the need for robust legal interventions to protect victims and address the underlying issues contributing to such destructive behavior.