A woman pleaded guilty on Monday to assault by beating after throwing a milkshake over Reform UK leader Nigel Farage outside a pub in Clacton-on-Sea during the general election campaign.
Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, also admitted criminal damage totalling £17.50 to the jacket of Farage’s security officer, James Woolfenden.
Farage, who is now MP for Clacton, was doused with the liquid and hit by the cup after Thomas Bowen threw it as he left the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoon pub in the Essex seaside town on June 4.
He had earlier addressed supporters at a rally during the general election campaign and was left with the yellow liquid splattered across his dark blue suit.
‘Unprovoked, Targeted Attack’
Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram adjourned sentencing to Dec. 16 and told the defendant: “You have pleaded guilty to, in my judgment, two serious charges.“This was an unprovoked, targeted attack now on an elected member of Parliament.”
The judge warned Thomas Bowen: “I take a serious view of these offences.
‘Cause for Concern’
In a witness statement read out in court, Farage said he was not injured but “this incident caused me concern as I have only been going about my job” and that he tries to “have as much public engagement as possible.”“I’m saddened that this has happened at a public campaign,” he added.
Thomas Bowen was arrested shortly after the incident and told police in interview that she saw a post online advertising the former UKIP leader’s attendance that day, the court heard.
She told officers she “does not agree with his political views.”
She said she was outside the pub when she saw him leaving and decided to throw the drink because she “had the opportunity.”
Giving details from her police interview, prosecutor Nishma Shah told the court: “She acknowledges that this was an assault and that the liquid would have gone over the jackets of him and others and caused them to get cleaning, but she states that Nigel would be able to afford this.
“She states she did not regret her actions.”
Thomas Bowen told police she did not intend the cup to hit Farage.
When questioned on why she changed her plea on the day of trial, Andrew Price, defending, told the judge: “This case has had a tremendous impact on this defendant.
“There have been a number of threats made against this defendant and she as much as possible wanted to put it out of her mind and avoid making the decision that she ultimately has come to.”
The barrister earlier made a successful application to the court to allow his client not to read her address out in open court, explaining one individual had made “very severe threats” concerning the case and had been outside court on Monday morning.
Thomas Bowen, who makes money selling her image on Only Fans, was granted unconditional bail before her sentencing.
She has more than 44,000 followers on social media platform X, and lists “content creator” as her profession on her account.
‘No Excuse’
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston, from Essex Police, said: “It is vital that democracy is allowed to take place and we police without fear or favour.“Disagreeing with someone’s political views is not an excuse to use violence or intimidation.
“Elected officials and people standing for elected office, like any member of the public, must be allowed to go about their business without fear for their safety.”
In August, Josh Greally, 28, of Clowne, Derbyshire, was given a sentence of six weeks in prison, suspended for one year, after admitting throwing a coffee cup at Farage as he campaigned on his battle bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on June 11.
During a campaign walkabout in Newcastle in 2019, Farage had another milkshake thrown at him.
The verb “milkshaking"—meaning the act of hurling the drink at public figures—was officially recognised by Collins Dictionary the same year. It is not listed as a word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
