Daniel Thomas Refused Bail Over Alleged Slashing of Dinghy in English Channel

According to BBC UK, Daniel Thomas, an anti-migrant activist, was refused bail during a Crown Court hearing regarding the alleged slashing of a dinghy in the English Channel. Thomas, who is known to his supporters as Danny Tommo, appeared via videolink at Portsmouth Crown Court facing accusations of criminal damage after a video reportedly showed him cutting the boat with a knife.

The 37-year-old, whose residential address was kept confidential by the court at a prior hearing, also faces a charge of not revealing the PIN to his mobile phone. He has been held in custody, and a provisional date for his trial has been established as 1 March. During the hearing, the defendant, who was seen wearing a grey t-shirt and holding a copy of the Bible, did not enter a plea, although he had previously pleaded not guilty to both charges at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The court heard that Thomas allegedly used his social media platform to broadcast himself from the English Channel around 16:30 BST on September 22, reaching a substantial audience. He is accused of slashing a vessel that had been utilized by migrants and was adrift at sea while a member of a rescue crew was aboard. Furthermore, it is alleged that he made statements such as "this is what needs to happen" and "this is England, this isn't France any more."

Simon Pentol KC, representing the defense, suggested a set of "bail conditions" as an alternative to Thomas being remanded in custody, characterizing the accusation against his client as "politically charged and fundamentally flawed." Judge James Newton-Price KC stated that he was not concerned with the political aspects or the motivations involved in the case and set those factors aside when making his decision.