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5 hours ago
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PA Media
Fayaz Khan made the threat in a video he uploaded to TikTok
A man who came to the UK on a small boat and threatened to kill Nigel Farage has been jailed for five years.
Fayaz Khan, 26, made a gun gesture with his hand, pointed to an AK-47 tattoo on his face and named the Reform UK leader in a TikTok post in October 2024.
Authorities believed the Afghan migrant had given them a false name and he was actually a 31-year-old called Fayaz Husseini, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Speaking outside court, Farage said it was a "win" that "violent criminal" Khan had been jailed.
The defendant was found guilty on Friday of making threats to kill the MP for Clacton, in Essex.
In the video on his "madapasa" account on TikTok, Khan pointed towards his face tattoo and said he was going to "pop, pop, pop" Farage, referring to him as "Englishman Nigel".
PA Media
Farage told the gathered media outside court that Khan was a "violent criminal"
Farage described the threat as "pretty chilling" during the trial, adding: "Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried."
"The only reason we know about this guy is because somebody sent it to me on TikTok," he added after the sentencing.
"It makes me wonder how many other madapasas are there now in this country?"
It followed Khan shouting from the dock that he wanted to go back to Afghanistan, accusing Farage of using him "because you want to be prime minister".
Khan was one of 65 migrants on board a black inflatable boat that entered the UK by crossing the English Channel.
"The defendant livestreamed the recording of his crossing, which appears to have gathered a large online viewing," said prosecutor Peter Ratliff.
'Enemies'
The court heard Khan gave a false name because he had "enemies he did not want to find him".
However, the prosecution said it was "more likely" he had given misleading details due to his criminal record while living in Sweden.
Mr Ratliff also disputed Khan's claim that he was unaware it was illegal to arrive in the UK by small boat.
He claimed Khan "intended to encourage others" by documenting his journey from Sweden to the UK, sharing it with hundreds of thousands of viewers online.
Metropolitan Police
Khan spent nine years living in Sweden before he came to the UK in October 2024
The court was told Khan had 17 previous convictions in Sweden, including for carrying a knife, threatening behaviour and vandalism.
Khan was also jailed in June 2019 after using threatening behaviour towards a public servant.
On 12 October 2024, Farage uploaded a video to YouTube entitled "the journey of an illegal migrant", which showed Khan and referenced "young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little".
'Gun gestures'
Jurors in Khan's trial were told he responded with a TikTok video two days later, threatening Farage.
In the video, he said: "You not know me. I come to England because I want to marry with your sister. You not know me.
"Don't talk about me more. Delete the video.
"I'm coming to England. I'm going to pop, pop, pop."
Mr Ratliff told the jury that while Khan said "pop, pop, pop", he made "gun gestures" with his hand and headbutted the camera.
During sentencing, Khan's barrister said the defendant wanted to apologise to Farage and his sister "for any offence and upset caused".
He was also sentenced to eight months - to run concurrently - for entering the UK illegally, having previously pleaded guilty to the offence.
Nicholas Coates, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Khan not only entered the UK illegally – but made sinister threats against a Member of Parliament in plain view of thousands of followers.
"Elected politicians must be able to carry out their jobs free from the fear of harm or abuse, and we will make sure that those who seek to intimidate them face the full force of the law."
