Sister-in-Law Gets Suspended Term for Wedding Paint Attack

Gemma Monk, a 35-year-old mother of two from Herne Bay, Kent, endured a shocking attack on her wedding day when her sister-in-law threw black paint across her dress moments before she was set to exchange vows with her partner of more than 20 years at Oakwood House Register Office in Maidstone on May 24, 2024.

The incident unfolded in the venue's entrance hall as Monk entered with her father, bridesmaids, and flower girls. She heard her name called and initially thought someone had stepped on her gown, but from the corner of her eye, she saw Antonia Eastwood, 49, hurl the substance, splattering Monk's £1,800 dress, face, eyes, skin, and body. Prosecutor Pietro Matarazzo told Maidstone Crown Court that the dress "turned black" from the paint. Monk, recognizing Eastwood—who is married to her older brother, Ashley—grabbed her by the hair, but Eastwood fled the scene, leaving Monk in tears amid stunned guests.

Despite the chaos, Monk composed herself, scrubbing the paint off in a changing cubicle and donning a replacement dress fetched by an usher. The ceremony with Ken Monk proceeded two hours later, attended by about 50 guests, followed by a reception at The Fields in Aylesford....