Daniel Thomas arrested over Channel dinghy damage allegations

Daniel Thomas, a 37-year-old British activist known as Danny Tommo, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of offences including criminal damage with intent to endanger life after footage appeared to show him cutting an inflatable dinghy in the English Channel while an emergency responder was aboard. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said Thursday that he remained in custody. Police have not named him, and the allegations have not been tested in court. The footage, posted online, appears to show Thomas using a knife on the boat after migrants aboard had been taken to Dover. A rescue or coastguard worker remained on the dinghy, which was empty of migrants at the time shown. Police said the arrest followed a report that a boat carrying an emergency responder had been damaged. The force said Thomas was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and endangering the safety of a vessel. Reports also listed suspicions under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act and Merchant Shipping Act. An arrest on suspicion does not establish that an offence occurred, and the supplied accounts did not report that Thomas had been charged.