TEN years ago, Daniel Thomas was one of three men jailed for targeting an innocent man in an attempted kidnapping over £10k worth of drugs.
In the decade since, Thomas – now known as Danny Tommo – has become Tommy Robinson’s right-hand man and, this weekend, helped rally hundreds of balaclava-clad supporters to descend on the south coast across two huge anti-migrant protests.
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Thomas, who claims to have turned his life around after finding Christianity, took credit for a “stop the boats” protest that brought Dover to a standstill on Saturday.
He shared footage from the anti-illegal migrant demonstration in Kent and declared: “This is our warning.”
A 500-strong crowd was then rallied for a second protest in Portsmouth, following the arrival of 140 migrants off the Hampshire coast.
Thomas was jailed for two years after he and two others threatened a man after wrongly accusing him of stealing £10,000 worth of drugs.
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Armed with knives, the trio burst into the innocent victim’s home before shouting “you’re coming with us”, it is understood.
During sentencing in 2016, the judge described it as an “extraordinarily frightening incident”.
Following his release, he said “everyone deserves a second chance” and told how he attended church weekly to “pray for forgiveness”.
And it was after his stint behind bars that the 37-year-old grew close to far-right agitator Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
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The duo – who were both key figures in the UKIP party – have frequently appeared together at political rallies and events over the past decade.
In May, he attended Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally, which he later described as “incredible” in a video shared online.
Two years ago, he also appeared as a key speaker at a protest in central London organised by Robinson in the wake of the Southport stabbings.
Thomas was filmed in Dover alongside hundreds from Patriot Platform – a group he launched in June.
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He describes it as a “growing Christian patriotic army” and has claimed more than 40,000 people have signed up.
On social media, he shared footage of protesters marching through Kent on Saturday, adding “this is only the beginning”.
Another video showed the words “blood is on your hands” spray-painted on the ground near the UK’s busiest ferry port.
He wrote: “It’s time! Protect our country! And more importantly our women and children! This is our warning!
“They want to use the law on us, we will use the law against them!
“We had lawyers on the phones speaking to senior police officers, and we had legal documentation that we passed to anyone who tried to interact.
“We had total control. A message was sent! Now imagine how powerful the next message will be.”
The dad-of-four, from Hampshire, previously worked as a tank driver with the King’s Royal Hussars, according to reports.
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But it is understood he was discharged on medical grounds before seeing active service.
Prior to giving up work to dedicate “everything to the cause”, Thomas also reportedly worked as a bricklayer and ran his own web design firm.
Before launching Patriot Platform, he helped organised a UKIP rally and Brexit Betrayal march.
Speaking on his latest venture, which he denies is far-right, Thomas wrote on X: “We’re calling on the strong.
“We’re calling on the able … who are ready to stand up … the ones tired of the same old failed approaches. Enough is enough.
“Let’s build an army of patriots. Let’s push back. Let’s do this properly.
“That’s why the Patriot Platform was created, not just to talk and plan, but to get boots on the ground and get s**t done.
“I know exactly what needs to be done. Now is the time to act.”
Robinson said the Dover protest was a “warning shot to the establishment”, adding that “DT has smashed it”.
But it prompted condemnation from across the political spectrum.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the scenes as “disgusting” and said protesters should not be allowed to wear balaclavas.
He said: “It’s disgusting. Nobody in any political protest, on the left or right, should appear in balaclavas.
“You should not be allowed to be masked up, balaclava-ed up and go out and protest on the streets of our country.
“It is wrong at every level. So I deplore what is happening in Dover today.”
Reform colleague Robert Jenrick also described the disruption as “disgraceful”.
Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp branded the protesters “idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption”.
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The Government also condemned the protesters’ behaviour and the travel disruption caused.
Kent Police said the demonstration had been “spontaneous” and said no arrests were made.