Woman admits hurling McDonald's milkshake at Farage
· BBC NewsRachael McMenemy
BBC News, Essex
A woman who threw a McDonald's milkshake over Reform UK leader Nigel Farage during the general election campaign has pleaded guilty to assault by beating.
Farage was leaving a pub in Clacton-on-Sea on 4 June having launched his candidacy for the Essex constituency when a drink was hurled in his face.
Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, from Clacton, had previously denied the charge, and will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates' Court in December.
Farage, who won the seat in the 4 July vote, was campaigning at the Moon and Starfish pub on the seafront when the attack happened.
Thomas Bowen also admitted criminal damage after causing £17.50 worth of damage to a jacket belonging to Farage's security officer James Woolfenden.
She changed her pleas to both charges before the start of her scheduled trial.
Deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram said : "This was an unprovoked, targeted attack, now on an elected Member of Parliament.
"I take a serious view of these offences.
"I am seeking a pre-sentence report which will consider all options for sentence."
He adjourned sentencing until 16 December.
In a witness statement read out in court, Farage said "this incident caused me concern as I have only been going about my job" and that he tried to "have as much public engagement as possible".
"I'm saddened that this has happened at a public campaign," he added.
During a police interview Thomas Bowen said she saw a post online about the politician's attendance at the Wetherspoon outlet that day, the court heard.
She told officers she "does not agree with his political views" and decided to act because "she had the opportunity" when she saw him leaving the pub.
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 paper cup to hit Farage.
Andrew Price, defending, told the court "a number of threats" had been made against Thomas Bowen and the case "has had a tremendous impact" on her.
He said she had tried 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 "very severe threats have been made" concerning the case.
Thomas Bowen was granted unconditional bail ahead of sentencing.
"Milkshaking" - the act of dousing public figures with the drink - was recognised as a word by the Collins Dictionary in 2019.
In August, Josh Greally, of Clowne, Derbyshire, was given a suspended sentence for throwing a coffee cup and another item at Mr Farage while he was campaigning in Barnsley.
During a campaign walkabout in Newcastle in 2019, Mr Farage had a banana and salted caramel milkshake thrown at him.
Det Ch Insp 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.”
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