A woman who admitted to assault by beating after throwing milkshake over “humiliated” Nigel Farage during his election campaign has been spared an immediate jail term.
In what a judge has called “an attack on our parliamentary democarcy”, Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, hurled a banana-flavoured McDonald’s milkshake at the Reform UK leader outside a pub in Clacton-on-Sea ahead of the general election.
Mr Farage, who is now MP for Clacton, was covered in the drink after the cup was thrown at him as he left the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoon pub in the Essex seaside town on 4 June.
A witness said the defendant shouted “you f****** c***” or something similar, deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram told the court on Monday.
Thomas Bowen, who is an OnlyFans model, admitted the offence at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in October.
She also pleaded guilty to causing £17.50 of damage to a jacket belonging to Mr Farage’s security officer, James Woolfenden.
The 25-year-old, of St Osyth Road in the seaside town, was sentenced to 13 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, by deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram at the same court on Monday.
He also said she will have 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.
Mr Farage, in a victim impact statement read out by the prosecution, 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”.
Writing on X after the hearing, Mr Farage described the sentenced as “the latest example of two-tier justice”. He said: “We now live in a country where you can assault a member of parliament and not go to prison.”
The judge said the incident was “humiliating and it was in the full glare of cameras and a video of the incident was widely distributed”.
He added it was an “unprovoked targeted attack”, adding: “It is also clear to me irrespective of what you now say that at the time you had no regret at all in attacking the now elected Member of Parliament for Clacton.”
Judge Ikram said: “In recent months I have dealt with several cases of unlawful attacks on politicians, whether online or physical.
“This is a dangerous trend.”
He added: “This was an attack on a parliamentary candidate campaigning for election, but this was not just an attack on him, but in my judgment, an attack on our parliamentary democracy.
“The risks of face-to-face engagement with the public are just too clear, bearing in mind the murders of two other Members of Parliament in recent years.”
Before he sentenced Thomas Bowen, Judge Ikram said: “A clear message must go out, public debate must not be shut down by criminality such as this.”
Following the sentencing hearing, Thomas Bowen’s lawyer said she had received “multiple threats” since the incident.
In a witness statement read out in court in October, the politician 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”.
He added: “I’m saddened that this has happened at a public campaign.”
Mr Farage had been addressing supporters at a rally during the general election campaign and was left with the yellow liquid splattered across his dark blue suit.
Thomas Bowen – who has more than 44,000 followers on Twitter/X, and lists “content creator” as her profession on her account – was arrested shortly after the incident.
She told police in interview that she saw a post online advertising Mr Farage’s attendance that day and that she “does not agree with his political views”, the court heard.
She said she was outside the pub when she saw him leaving and decided to act because she “had the opportunity”, but that she did not intend for the cup to hit Mr Farage.
Thomas Bowen had originally denied the charges and was due to go on trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in October but changed her pleas to guilty before proceedings began.
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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