An Afghan national has been sentenced to five years in prison by a London court for threatening to kill An Afghan national has been sentenced to five years in prison by a London court for threatening to kill Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, in a TikTok video that prosecutors said was meant to intimidate the politician ahead , leader of Reform UK, in a TikTok video that prosecutors said was meant to intimidate the politician ahead of Britain’s next general election.
Fayaz Khan, who travelled from Sweden to the United Kingdom by small boat in October 2024, was convicted last week by a jury at Southwark Crown Court of making a threat to kill. The court heard that Khan posted a TikTok video directed at Farage, in which he mimicked gunfire sounds saying “pop, pop, pop” — while pointing his fingers like a weapon.
Judge Karen Steyn, sentencing Khan on Tuesday, said the threat “quickly reached Mr Farage, exactly as you intended.” She added that while politicians must tolerate criticism, this case crossed into criminal territory. ”Your video was not mere abuse, it was a threat to kill with a firearm and it was, as Mr Farage put it, ‘pretty chilling,’” Steyn told Khan.
Read Also: Madagascar Military Takeover As President Rajoelina Flees
Farage, who attended the sentencing, said he had “mixed feelings” about the outcome. “I was genuinely worried when I saw that video,” he testified earlier, describing Khan’s actions as “deeply disturbing.”
Speaking outside court, the Reform UK leader said he was pleased Khan had been jailed but expressed concern that “he’ll be out far too soon.” Khan, who also pleaded guilty to attempting to enter Britain illegally, is expected to face automatic deportation after serving his sentence.
As he was led from the dock, Khan shouted angrily at both the judge and Farage, saying: “You want to be prime minister … you fucked my life.”
Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told the court that Khan had provided a false name and date of birth when arriving in Britain. Judge Steyn said she was sure he did so to conceal a pending six-month jail sentence in Sweden.
Khan, who has an AK-47 tattooed on his face, claimed his TikTok post was a joke and denied intending harm. The jury rejected his defence, finding that the gesture and language in the video amounted to a credible threat.
Reform UK, led by Farage, currently leads several opinion polls as the main challenger to Britain’s Conservative government, making the incident particularly sensitive.
