Daniel “Tommo” Thomas was denied bail after pleading not guilty to criminal damage. He is accused of using a knife to slash an inflatable dinghy used by migrants attempting to cross the English Channel to Britain.
The 37-year-old also denied failing to provide police with the PIN for his mobile phone, an offence under Section 53 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
Thomas appeared before Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning, where Tommy Robinson was present to support his friend.
Robinson had also joined supporters at a protest outside a police station in the town the previous evening.
He later took a seat in the public gallery, with one police officer stationed inside the courtroom and another positioned at the door.
Prosecutor Kevin Lucie told the court that Thomas allegedly slashed a drifting boat with a knife before saying: “You are on English territory. This is England. This is not France anymore.”
The court heard that a crew member was aboard the vessel while it was losing air.
After entering his not guilty pleas, Thomas said he wanted the case to be heard at Crown Court. His bail application was refused and he was remanded in custody.
Thomas, a father of four described as a professional roofer, was seen dabbing his eyes with a tissue during the hearing.
His next hearing is scheduled to take place at Portsmouth Crown Court on Tuesday, September 29.
Tommy Robinson arrives outside Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court in Hampshire to support Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo
Thomas is charged with criminal damage and failing to disclose his phone PIN. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody
Thomas, better known as Danny Tommo, faces charges of criminal damage and failing to disclose his phone PIN after allegedly being filmed slashing a boat in the English Channel while a rescue crew member was on board.
Hundreds of his followers marched to the police station last night, where he was understood to be held after his arrest.
The protest followed the circulation of footage that allegedly shows Thomas stabbing at an inflatable dinghy that had carried migrants, while a rescuer was aboard.
Thomas had reportedly travelled out to sea on Tuesday after it emerged that a boat carrying 51 migrants was attempting to cross the English Channel.
The group was eventually brought to Dover by the coastguard after spending 38 hours at sea.
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News of the charges emerged as around 250 members of Thomas’ group, Patriot Platform, gathered outside the Police Investigation Centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire. They arrived at about 6.30pm.
The group was applauded by approximately 50 protesters already assembled along the road, while supporters chanted “free DT” and “Oh Danny Danny”.
Several police vans were parked outside the station, where officers filmed the protesters. Some demonstrators wore balaclavas and carried St George’s and Union flags.
As soon as the group arrived outside the police station, a spokesman urged the group to remove all face coverings – as a police drone kept watch overhead.
Just after 8pm, the protesters paused for prayer relayed via a loudspeaker.
The crowd then broke into a rendition of ‘We want our Danny back’, before some members aimed laser pens at the police station.
The road was blocked by the crowd, though it parted briefly several times to allow traffic through. One motorist driving a white Chevrolet draped with a large Scotland flag beeped his horn in support and drew loud cheers.
Protesters began to disperse peacefully at around 9:30pm.
Around 250 followers of Danny Tommo gathered outside the Police Investigation Centre in Basingstoke on Thursday evening
Unlike previous gatherings, most of the attendees were not wearing face masks
The group gathered in answer to calls from a masked member of Patriot Platform – the group behind anti-migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth – who urged followers to converge on Basingstoke Police Station in a social media post.
Fellow right-wing firebrand Tommy Robinson also called on supporters to travel to the Hampshire town via his X account – though said he could not himself attend because he was up north.
Thomas livestreamed part of his arrest on Wednesday night from a BP garage in an undisclosed location, and footage was later reposted showing him asking to ‘say goodbye to my kids’.
An officer then told Tommo to ‘step out of the car’ and explained the arrest, while a woman off-camera was heard saying: ‘The cameras are on, let go of the phone.’
After the video of Thomas emerged on Tuesday, hundreds of activists gathered in Gosport, where the migrants were initially expected to arrive.
Coaches called in to transport the migrants were moved under police escort down the coast to Dover, where the group of 51 were eventually brought ashore at around half past midnight on Wednesday morning.
- A man was arrested for on suspicion or carrying a knife at the protest. He will appear in Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court today, September 25.
