Evening Standard
· collected 2026-09-25 · by Press Association Reporters
Danny Tommo, a far-right activist whose real name is Daniel Thomas, pleaded not guilty in Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Friday to charges of criminal damage and failing to disclose his iPhone's Pin number to police. The criminal damage charge stems from an alleged incident where Thomas reportedly slashed a boat with emergency responders aboard in the English Channel. Prosecutors stated that the cost of the vessel’s damage is unknown but could exceed £5,000, though it was taken back to France after the incident. Thomas's case will be tried by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court, and his defense argued that the charges are unrelated to political activism.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 22, 37-year-old Daniel Thomas, also known as "Danny Tommo," was filmed using a knife to slash an empty migrant dinghy in the English Channel while a French rescue worker was still aboard. The incident occurred after the migrants had been picked up by the RNLI and were being escorted back towards France. Thomas, who has led anti-migrant protests under his group Patriot Platform, live-streamed the event on social media, shouting “You’re in English territory.” He was arrested at a petrol station in Hampshire on September 27 for criminal damage with intent to endanger life and endangering the safety of a vessel. The migrants originally traveled from Normandy and were taken to Dover for processing. Local authorities had previously blocked roads during protests organized by Thomas and his supporters, who wore black balaclavas, in attempts to prevent migrants from entering the UK. Thomas remains in custody as investigations continue. This incident highlights growing tensions over migration routes used by small-boat people smugglers along the English coast. Tommy Robinson, another far-right activist, shared footage of Thomas's arrest on social media, alleging it was an effort to "stop the invasion of our country." The exact location and circumstances of Thomas’s detention remain undisclosed in official statements from British authorities. Additionally, a dozen protesters were spotted near Dover, where local police had blocked off nearby roads to prevent further disruptions. Reports suggest that routes for small-boat migrants are shifting westward along the coast away from Kent. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed the arrest but did not release Thomas’s identity until formal charges were filed. His case is under active investigation by law enforcement agencies.
Written for “Danny Tommo Dinghy Slashing Arrest Ch…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 19 other(s) covering the same event.
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas – known to his supporters as Danny Tommo – has pleaded not guilty to criminal damage after he allegedly slashed a boat in the English Channel with an emergency responder on board.
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he → know → board
The 37-year-old, of no fixed address, appeared via videolink from Basingstoke Police Investigation Centre and was wearing a grey open-hooded sweatshirt with a dark T-shirt at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Friday after being charged on Thursday night.
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old → appear → night
He also denied failing to disclose the Pin to his phone to police, under Section 53 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
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He → deny → Act
Read More
He was supported by fellow far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, who arrived at the court on Friday morning and sat in the public gallery.
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who → read → gallery
The court heard a crew member was on the boat whilst it was heard leaking air.
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it → hear → air
Prosecutor Kevin Lucie, outlining the facts of the criminal damage charge, told the court that Thomas had taken a boat into the English Channel and observed the migrant occupants of a small boat being assisted by the RNLI, Border Force and the French Coastguard.
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occupants → outline → RNLI
Mr Lucie said the defendant instructed that his boat be steered towards the empty Rib that was adrift and then armed himself with a knife as rescue crews also approached the dinghy and a Frenchman boarded from a rescue vessel.
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Frenchman → say → vessel
“Get off the boat, you have time to get off the boat.
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you → get → boat
Mr Lucie said that the cost of the damage to the vessel was unknown to be above or below £5,000 because the boat had been taken back to France.
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boat → say → France
The prosecutor said the incident happened to a background of “significant disorder” including the protest held in Gosport on Tuesday evening.
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incident → say → evening
He said that the request by police for Thomas to provide the pin to his iPhone 17 pro max occurred after he livestreamed his arrest at a BP petrol station.
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he → say → station
Thomas chose for his case on both charges to be tried by a jury at the crown court.
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case → choose → court
A hearing will take place in Portsmouth Crown Court on Tuesday.
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hearing → take → Tuesday
Simon Pentol KC, defending, said: “This defendant is not charged with an offence of political activism, whether you agree with it or not, that is not the issue.
“He has elected crown court trial over criminal damage simplicita and nothing more and for not acquiescing to a notice requiring him to provide a Pin number.”
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He → defend → number
He continued: “I invite this court to bear in mind it’s dealing with a 37-year-old man who lives with his long-standing partner and their four children, all aged between 18 and three, his partner is pregnant once again, four months.
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partner → continue → 18
“She is a full-time mother, he is the full time provider or bread-winner as they used to say.
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they → use → ?
“He is a professional roofer by trade, he is therefore having to look after his family who, through his political activism, have been under huge threat and due to publication of his mother’s home address, she has had to move home.”
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she → have → address
Mr Pentol told the court that the issues for the criminal charge included the level of damage caused, whether the incident happened in international waters and out of the UK jurisdiction and whether there was “a lawful excuse”.
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incident → tell → jurisdiction
For the failure to provide his phone pin, Mr Pentol said the issues included whether the notice was provided by an “appropriate person” and Thomas had been given enough opportunity to respond.
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Thomas → provide → opportunity
Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram, the deputy chief magistrate, said: “I am going to send this case to the crown court at Portsmouth and the next hearing date will be 29th September.
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date → say → Portsmouth
“I am satisfied there is a real possibility of an immediate custodial sentence in this case.”
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I → be → case
A dozen journalists were in the courtroom for the hearing, while a police officer stood in the public gallery.
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officer → stand → gallery
On Thursday evening several hundred people, many wearing black, gathered outside a police investigation centre in Basingstoke believing that Thomas was inside.
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Thomas → wear → Basingstoke
Dozens of police officers could be seen monitoring the group outside the investigation centre as the protest continued for several hours.
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protest → see → hours
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