Woman denies assault after milkshake thrown at Nigel Farage in Essex

  • Victoria Thomas Bowen, accused of throwing a milkshake at Nigel Farage, arriving at Westminster Magistrates Court.

A 25-year-old woman has denied charges against her after a milkshake was thrown over Nigel Farage.

Victoria Thomas Bowen, of St Osyth Road in Clacton, Essex, pleaded not guilty to assault by beating and criminal damage at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Reform UK leader Farage was covered with a McDonald's banana drink as he left the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoons pub in the seaside town on 4 June.

He had earlier addressed supporters at a rally during his campaign trail - a day after announcing he was standing for the Clacton seat in the General Election.

Farage, now Clacton's MP, was left with the yellow liquid splattered across his dark blue suit.

Nigel Farage covered in milkshake in Clacton, Essex in June 2024 Credit: PA

Prosecutors say £30 of criminal damage was caused to a jacket belonging to James Woolfenden.

Caroline Liggins, a lawyer representing 25-year-old Bowen, said: “My client strongly protests her innocence and looks forward to fighting these unjust charges in court.”

Bowen was released on unconditional bail to appear before the same court for trial on 21 October .

Mr Farage told ITV News that the moment he was struck in the face with a drink was "quite frightening".

It mirrored a similar incident in Newcastle in 2019, where a milkshake was also thrown at him while he was out campaigning.

Nigel Farage after he was doused in milkshake during a campaign walkabout in Newcastle in 2019 Credit: Tom Wilkinson/PA

“Milkshaking” – the act of dousing public figures in milkshake – was officially recognised by Collins Dictionary the same year.

Last month, 28-year-old Josh Greally admitted throwing a coffee cup and another item at Farage as he campaigned on his battle bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on 11 June. He will be sentenced on 28 August.

The former UKIP leader won a seat in the House of Commons for the first time in May, getting 46% of votes and beating the former Conservative MP Giles Watling.

And his new party made gains across the country, winning five seats and 14% of the country's vote share.

But Reform UK has courted controversy in the run-up to the election.

Undercover filming by Channel 4 showed an activist in Clacton using a racial slur against former prime minister Rishi Sunak, and saying asylum seekers who crossed the Channel in small boats to be shot.

Mr Farage has called the Channel 4 report a “set-up”.

ITV News also uncovered what appears to be racist social media posts by two candidates standing for Reform UK. Four other candidates were part of a Facebook group that regularly features Islamophobic and racist content.

At the time, Mr Farage told ITV News a vetting company was to blame for failing to carry out background checks.

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