Crikey reporter Sophie Black writes:

There’s an expression to describe crime reporters who get a little carried away covering the beat – it’s called going native. It’s not uncommon for crime writers to adopt police lingo, or spend too much time drinking with shady characters; but even the most grizzled hack would have to concede pulling a gun on another journalist is taking the Raymond Carver shtick a little too far.

Crikey understands that Sydney Morning Herald crime reporter Stephen Gibbs is locked in talks with Fairfax senior management and union representatives this morning after he allegedly pulled a gun on Daily Tele sub editor Steven Jackson in the early hours of Sunday morning. According to the Tele, Gibbs is set to face court after was charged with one count of assault and one of possessing a prohibited firearm. He was granted conditional bail and ordered to appear in court on August 14.

According to bar patrons at regular Holt St watering hole the Evening Star Hotel (aka the Evil Star), two groups of drinkers – one including Gibbs – were ordered by a security guard to sit in different areas of the Surry Hills hotel following an argument (that presumably wasn’t about punctuation) at 2am. It’s believed Gibbs left the premises soon afterwards.

About three hours later, as Jackson prepared to leave the hotel, he was warned by a bartender that Gibbs was allegedly loitering outside. Gibbs, who has worked for the Daily Tele in the past, then allegedly pulled a silver revolver on Jackson, who retreated back inside the pub before Gibbs ran off. According to the Tele, Gibbs turned himself into Surry Hills police station about 1.30pm yesterday.

Crikey understands Gibbs is what you might call one of journalism’s colourful characters. According to one hack he trashed a hotel room in Bali while covering the anniversary of the Bali bombings, and later blamed the incident on the trauma of covering the story.

Crikey has Gibbs listed on our Crikey journalistic couples list as being married to Candace Sutton, former columnist with the Sun Herald and in a strange act of symmetry, now a PR hack with NSW Corrective Services, but we understand that the marriage may have since broken up.
Gibbs, who by all accounts is highly regarded and well liked by most, is also listed on our coveted ‘Lily White Journalists Who Never Sold Out ‘ list.

NSW police would not confirm names with us this morning but did confirm that a Redfern man had been charged over the incident.

Crikey contacted Stephen Gibbs, Steven Jackson, SMH editor Alan Oakley and Fairfax spokesperson Bruce Wolpe this morning but none of them got back to us before publication time.