Far-right activist Daniel Thomas, known to supporters as Danny Tommo, has pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal damage and failing to disclose the PIN to his phone to police. The 37-year-old, who has no fixed address, appeared via videolink from Basingstoke Police Investigation Centre at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Thomas is accused of slashing a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) reportedly carrying migrants in the English Channel on September 22. Prosecutors allege he used a knife to puncture the boat while an emergency responder was on board, causing it to leak air. The boat had reportedly departed from Bayeux in Normandy with migrants on board and was being assisted by rescue crews from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as it approached British shores. The RNLI later acknowledged that it disabled location tracking during the rescue operation, which involved transferring migrants to a Border Security Command vessel before they were taken to Dover.
At the hearing, prosecutor Kevin Lucie stated that Thomas livestreamed the incident on social media and was heard telling the boat’s occupants, “You are on English territory. This is England. This is not France any more.” The exact extent of damage caused to the vessel remains under investigation, with the prosecution seeking an assessment of its value. The boat reportedly returned to France following the incident.
Thomas also pleaded not guilty to failing to provide the PIN code for his mobile phone to police when requested during his custody. His lawyer, Simon Pentol KC, argued that questions remain over whether the phone unlocking notice was served appropriately and whether Thomas had sufficient opportunity to comply.
Thomas’s defense is focused on challenging the criminal damage charge, including the location of the incident—which may affect jurisdiction—and whether a lawful excuse exists for his actions. Pentol described Thomas as a professional roofer and family man with four children, whose political activism has subjected his family to threats and harassment. The defense denies that the case is about political activism but says it concerns the facts surrounding the alleged offences.
Thomas was supported in court by fellow far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, who attended the hearing and sat in the public gallery. An officer was stationed in the courtroom’s public area, with additional police presence around the court due to heightened interest.
The judge refused bail, and Thomas chose to have both charges heard by a jury at crown court. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 29 at Portsmouth Crown Court.
The charges follow a police investigation by Hampshire Constabulary after an allegation was made concerning damage to the boat. The Crown Prosecution Service has stated there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue the matter.
Following Thomas’s arrest, several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the Basingstoke police investigation centre, many wearing black and carrying Union flags, chanting in support of him. Police monitored the crowd closely, and one person was arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife during the protest. Authorities also authorized stop-and-search powers in response to security concerns.