[From the UK's Telegraph]

Gamer stabs rival who killed his avatar

Video game fanatic hunts down and stabs rival player who killed character online

A French video game fanatic hunted down and stabbed a rival player who had killed his character in an online war game.

Published: 27 May 2010

Julien Barreaux, 20, told police he wanted to see his rival player “wiped out” after his character in the game Counter-Strike died in a virtual knife fight.

A court in Cambrai, northern France, heard how Barreaux plotted revenge for seven months after the online “killing” last November.

He then located the victim, named only as Mikhael, several miles from his home.

When the man answered the door, he plunged a kitchen knife into his chest, missing his heart by less than an inch, a police officer told the court.

He added: “Barreaux was arrested within the hour and told us he had wanted to see his rival wiped out for killing off his character.”

Barreaux was jailed for two years for causing grievous bodily harm, and ordered to undergo psychiatric tests and anger management therapy.

Judge Alexiane Potel told him: “You are a menace to society. I am frankly terrified of the disproportionate reaction you could have if someone looked at you the wrong way in the street.”

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