Daniel Thomas pleads not guilty over alleged Channel dinghy slashing
publishers 9articles 10first reported 24 Sep, 11:42 UTCdeveloping since 24 Sep · 4 editions
British far-right activist Daniel Thomas pleaded not guilty on Friday to criminal damage over the alleged slashing of a dinghy in the English Channel while an emergency responder was aboard.
Thomas, 37, also known as Danny Tommo, appeared by video link at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court. He also denied an accusation that he failed to disclose his phone’s PIN to police under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. He was refused bail and said he wanted the criminal damage case heard in a crown court. A hearing is scheduled at Portsmouth Crown Court on Tuesday, September 29.
Police arrested Thomas on Wednesday evening after he livestreamed footage that appeared to show him approaching an empty migrant dinghy in a speedboat and cutting its inflatable hull with a knife. A French coastguard official was still aboard after about 50 migrants who had travelled from Normandy were taken to Dover for processing.
Thomas founded the anti-immigration group Patriot Platform and has organised protests in Dover and Portsmouth. Fellow far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, attended Friday’s hearing in support of him.
Several hundred supporters gathered outside a police investigation centre in Basingstoke on Thursday evening, while dozens of police officers monitored the protest.
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Written from 8 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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