on 14 april 2003, mason and two friends mark and simon gibson, were found guilty of aggravated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. the victim of the attack, poole scaffolder neal harley, was left with a broken nose, scalp cuts, facial swelling and bruising. the attack was sparked by a yorkshire terrier dog named doris which mark gibson had bought for harley's fiancee jane graham while they were having a relationship some years earlier and had been "hostile" towards her new boyfriends. on 3 april 2002, ms graham had agreed to care for the dog but later returned it as it behaved too aggressively. prosecutor, mark worsley, said that because of this mark gibson decided to confront mr harley and turned up that night with a hammer and his accomplices, saying: "come on boys, let's do him". the gibson brothers received five- and six-year sentences and mason received a three-year sentence on 2 june 2003, but he served just over a year.