An anti-migrant activist now faces criminal charges following a recent Channel dinghy slashing incident. Daniel Thomas, aged 37, was charged with criminal damage. Furthermore, he also faces a charge of failing to disclose his phone’s PIN, according to Hampshire Police.
Mr. Thomas, known as ‘Danny Tommo’ by his supporters, has been remanded in custody. He is scheduled to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Friday via videolink. This development follows an arrest made earlier in the week.
The charges stem from an alleged Channel dinghy slashing on Tuesday. Live-stream footage reportedly showed Mr. Thomas damaging a vessel in the English Channel. A French coastguard official was on board the boat at the time.
Meanwhile, some 50 migrants had already been transferred from the dinghy. They moved onto RNLI lifeboats, having travelled from Normandy. Later, they were transferred to a UK Border Force vessel and taken to Dover for processing.
Hundreds of people gathered outside a police investigation centre in Basingstoke on Thursday evening. They believed Thomas was being held inside. The demonstration began peacefully at approximately 6:30 PM BST.
Protesters stood on the road outside the building. Chants of “free DT” were clearly audible. Additionally, demonstrators also shouted “we want our Danny back”. However, the crowd began to disperse at about 9:45 PM BST. This occurred after they learned of the charges filed against Mr. Thomas.
Chris Derrick, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Wessex, issued a statement. He confirmed sufficient evidence exists to bring the case to court. Moreover, he noted that pursuing criminal proceedings is in the public interest. The CPS reminded all parties that legal proceedings are active. Therefore, Mr. Thomas retains the right to a fair trial.
