Anti-Migrant Activist Admits Criminal Damage After Slashed Dinghy Incident

Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas admitted criminal damage after slashing a dinghy with a knife in the English Channel. The 37-year-old changed his plea to guilty when he appeared via video link from prison at Portsmouth Crown Court on Thursday. The court previously heard that on 22 September, Thomas took a boat into the English Channel and observed the migrant occupants of a dinghy being assisted by the RNLI, Border Force, and the French Coastguard. He admitted using a knife on the dinghy, which had French personnel on board.

According to prosecutor Kevin Lucie, Thomas instructed his vessel to be steered towards the empty rigid inflatable boat that was adrift. He then armed himself with a knife as rescue crews also approached the dinghy and a Frenchman boarded from a rescue vessel. After slashing the boat with the knife, Thomas could be heard on a livestream saying: "This is what needs to happen to everyone in these boats. Right, you're on English territory, This is England, this is not France anymore. Get off the boat, you have time to get off the boat. This is not France. Take them back."

Thomas pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose the pin to his phone to police. He is scheduled to be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on 18 November. The maximum sentence for criminal damage valued at more than £5,000 is 10 years' imprisonment, according to the Sentencing Council. If the damage is valued lower than £5,000, the maximum sentence could be a fine and three months' jail time. Thomas will also be given credit for his guilty plea.