Daniel Thomas, 37, known to his supporters as Danny Tommo, has pleaded guilty to criminal damage after slashing a migrant boat with a knife in the English Channel. Thomas, founder of the Patriot Platform group, entered the plea at Portsmouth Crown Court on Thursday, having previously denied the charge.

Livestreamed attack on adrift dinghy

The court heard that Thomas used his social media platform to livestream himself from the Channel at about 4.30pm on 22 September. Prosecutor Kevin Lucie told the court that a single rigid inflatable boat used by migrants had been left adrift after its occupants were taken to rescue vessels. Thomas steered his own boat towards it, armed himself with a knife and slashed the hull while a rescue crew member was on board. French rescue workers were approaching the dinghy at the time. The court was also told Thomas said: “This is what needs to happen” and “This is England, this isn’t France any more.”

Sentencing next week

Thomas will return to court for sentencing on 18 November. Judge James Newton-Price KC told Thursday’s hearing that Thomas had served seven weeks in custody and “might have served his sentence”, and adjourned the case so he could read the authorities and submissions from both sides. Thomas has been remanded in custody after previously being denied bail.

Defence counsel Simon Pentol KC described the allegation as “politically charged and fundamentally flawed” and proposed bail conditions as an alternative to custody. Declining bail, the judge said: “I am not concerned with the political issues or motivations in this matter and I put them aside in deciding this matter.” Thomas, who has organised a string of anti-migrant protests on the south coast, was arrested after police cars surrounded his vehicle.