Wedding Day Attack Shocks Family
A wedding in Kent descended into chaos when the bride was doused with black paint by her sister-in-law moments before the ceremony. The incident, captured on CCTV, shows Gemma Monk, 35, arriving at Oakwood House in Maidstone when Antonia Eastwood ambushed her, staining her £1,800 white dress. The paint also caused over £5,000 damage to the Victorian venue.
Family Feud Behind the Attack
The attack stemmed from a family dispute. Eastwood, married to Gemma's older brother Ashley, falsely believed Gemma had ruined her own wedding in 2023. Despite claiming she acted on impulse and felt ashamed, Judge Oliver Saxby KC described her actions as 'horrid, nasty and mean,' concluding she intended to wreck Gemma's big day.
Aftermath and Sentencing
Despite the trauma, Gemma married Ken two hours later with a replacement dress. However, the couple canceled their Maldives honeymoon and have not celebrated their anniversary. Eastwood pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage. She received a 10-month suspended sentence, a 10-year restraining order, 160 hours of unpaid work, and must pay £5,000 in damages, £4,000 to Gemma, and £1,000 to the venue.
In a victim impact statement, Gemma said the attack 'changed her outlook on life' and left a mental scar. Eastwood expressed shame, saying she had never been in trouble with police before. The judge spared her jail due to her clean record and prison overcrowding guidelines.
