Nigel Farage voiced fury today after an OnlyFans model who threw a milkshake in his face was spared jail.
Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, launched the drink at the MP outside a pub in Clacton-on-Sea during the general election campaign on June 4.
Dramatic pictures showed how the mother-of-one hurled the contents of a McDonald’s cup towards Mr Farage, catching him full in the face and leaving him with thick yellow milkshake splattered over his dark blue suit.
Wearing large black sunglasses, a smart grey dress and high heels, Thomas Bowen flashed two fingers up at photographers as she arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning.
She was later sentenced to 13 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after admitting assault by beating in October.
The model had also admitted criminal damage after causing £17.50 worth of damage to a jacket belonging to Mr Farage’s security officer, James Woolfenden.
Responding on social media afterwards, Mr Farage said: ‘We now live in a country where you can assault a Member of Parliament and not go to prison. The latest example of two-tier justice.’
Mr Farage, now the Clacton MP, was doused as he left the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoon pub in the Essex seaside town.
In a victim impact statement read out by the prosecution, the MP said after the incident he ‘felt humiliated’ with it ‘broadcast on national and international media’.
He added he was ‘deeply thoughtful for some time afterwards that next time it may not be a milkshake’ and said the incident is part of ‘a growing security concern’.
The model was arrested shortly after the incident and told police in an interview that she saw a post online advertising Mr Farage’s attendance that day, the court heard.
She told officers she ‘does not agree with his political views’.
Before the assault, Mr Farage had earlier addressed supporters at a rally during the election campaign.
Thomas Bowen had originally denied the charges but changed her pleas to guilty before proceedings began.
As well as her suspended sentence, she has also been ordered to complete 12 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 120 hours of unpaid work and to pay Mr Farage £150 compensation, £17.50 compensation for the criminal damage, £154 victim surcharge and £450 in costs.
The incident led to wide condemnation from MPs all across the political spectrum including Labour’s Yvette Cooper who called it a ‘disgrace’ and ‘completely unacceptable and wrong’.
Thomas Bowen, who films her x-rated video clips in the spare bedroom of her mother’s £260,000 house in Grays, told the BBC she flung the banana milkshake because she ‘just felt like it’.
‘He doesn’t stand for me’, the self-described ‘petite blonde pocket rocket’ she added. ‘He doesn’t represent anything I believe in, or any of the people around here. He doesn’t represent us, he’s not from here.’
She later posted a photo of herself dressed only in her underwear and sports socks in a provocative pose, alongside a link to her Onlyfans website and the lyrics to the song Milkshake.
Mr Farage said in his victim impact statement read to the court: ‘Immediately after the incident I felt humiliated. It was broadcast on national TV and seen by many people. I was deeply thoughtful for some time that next time it might not be a milkshake.
‘This incident is part of a growing concern about my safety in public.’
Zarif Khan, defending Thomas Bowen, said: ‘She has conceded that it was wrong what she did on the day. The court has to balance all that and decide it is right to send a young woman to jail with her background.
‘One also has to make an assessment and look at the overall fairness of this case.
‘The fact is people have undiagnosed issues over many years. She suffers from ADHD and anxiety.
‘The amount of harassment she has faced. Threats of death and rape. She has been yelled at in the street.
‘This was a naive stupid reaction by this young woman at a time when she was going through some personal distress.
‘There are other ways to deal with individuals. Other ways that are available and in my submission are more effective.
‘It can be seen as a deterrent. Simply sending people to prison is not the only way to deter individuals.
‘She has a family that remains supportive of her. Those online threats are ongoing. You ought to follow the recommendation in the report. If you are still against me I will carry on.’
District Judge Tan Ikram sentenced her to 13 weeks jail suspended for 12 months.
He said: ‘One has to look at the impact it has had on the victim. Many people feel guilty at the time of sentencing.
‘You desire yourself as a social media content creator. You earn £2,500 a month and it appears have considerable debt.
‘The victim in this case, Mr Farage, was out campaigning that day. He describes a container and a liquid substance hitting his face.
‘This was humiliating and in the full glare of cameras. The video has been widely distributed. At the time a witness said you shouted “you f***ing ****” or something similar.
‘In the pre-sentence report you say you have mental health issues. No evidence at all has been forthcoming.
‘This was and is an unprovoked targeted attack. It is clear to me that at the time you had no regret at all because you did not agree with his political views.
‘Your advocate has very ably mitigated on your behalf and you have stated to the probation officer you have remorse.
‘The facts in this case suggest the contrary. You only changed your plea on the day of trial when witnesses came to give evidence.
‘There are significant aggravating features in this case. This was an attack on a parliamentary candidate campaigning for election. In my judgement this was an attack on our parliamentary democracy.
‘The risks of face to face engagement is just too clear given the murders of two other parliamentary candidates in recent years.
‘A clear message must go out. Parliamentary debate must not be stopped by criminality like this.
‘In this case it has been said the risk of reconviction is low. It is suggested there is a real likelihood of rehabilitation if an immediate custodial sentence is not imposed.
‘I have thought long and hard about whether I can suspend the sentence.’
At the time of the incident, Mr Farage told ITV: ‘I don’t know what was thrown at me but it hit me in the face fair and square. Quite frightening.’
He went on to say he thinks he keeps having the dairy drink thrown at him because he goes ‘out to meet the public and nobody else does’.
The incident had echoes of 2019, when he fell victim to a similar stunt in Newcastle.
Thomas-Bowen, who studied law, math, sociology and business at college, has been involved in politics since the age of 15 and has ‘hated’ Mr Farage since his Brexit campaign.
Speaking to The Sun, she says once she heard he was visiting her home town she knew she wanted to go see him and hear what he had to say.
‘I have never agreed with his views on immigration or his approach to women,’ she said.
‘I hadn’t had any breakfast, and I was feeling quite lightheaded so I stopped at McDonalds on the way to the pier and got a banana milkshake.’
Thomas-Bowen had to elbow her way through the crowds to hurl the drink at Mr Farage as he made his way down the steps.
In a statement following her sentencing, Caroline Liggins, criminal defence lawyer at Hodge Jones & Allen, said: ‘Our client entered a guilty plea because she understands the gravity of the situation in which her impulsive decision has placed her.
‘We are relieved the court has taken a sensible approach in dealing with this young woman by handing down a suspended sentence.
‘She has suffered multiple threats since this happened, which have had a serious impact on her mental health.
‘Victoria understands the impact of her actions and wishes to put the whole episode behind her. She hopes others can do the same.’
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