A FATHER, who founded a popular crime-fighting Facebook page, has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting stabbing a man in the arm with a knife.

David Keeble, 41, of Hockley Green, Basildon, was set to stand trial for attempted murder after stabbing the 25-year-old man in Long Riding in September last year.

But the dad-of-one pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife on the first day of the trial at Basildon Crown Court.

The judge handed him a prison sentence of 18 months suspended for 18 months and 120 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Keeble founded the Facebook group Basildon Exposed where people post details about crimes in the area. He believes his involvement in the group led to the trouble.

He said: “It was all about the group. I was posting things about burglars and other criminals to make people aware and obviously some weren’t happy about it.

“I had got death threats and most of it was just keyboard warriors but some were more serious than that. I had had stuff posted through my door.

“I have been walking through Basildon and people have pulled knives out on me before.

“I just told them to do one but you never know what is going to happen.

“I shouldn’t have carried a knife on me but I had a reasonable excuse because of all the threats and sometimes it escalates. It was just self-defence.

“The judge even said when he was sentencing me that I should be able to run a page on Facebook without fearing for my life.”

Mr Keeble was originally charged with attempted murder - an offence which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

He added: “It was daunting looking at the possibility of getting 20 years to life.

“But I wasn’t trying to kill anyone so that’s why I decided to plead guilty to the less serious offence rather than go through everything with the trial.

“I’ve just got to try and recover now and move forward.

“My 17-year-old daughter has been looking after the house while I have been in prison on remand.

“She has had to pay the bills and work as well as go to college so it wasn’t easy for her.

“She had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders and it has been hard work for her.

“The page really looks after itself now so I won’t be jumping to get back into that.

“Two other users have managed since I’ve been away but my priority now is to get my life back to normal.”