Antonia Eastwood threw black paint on Gemma Monk's wedding dress on Gemma's wedding day at Oakwood House Register Office in Maidstone, according to court reports. Eastwood was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court for two offences of criminal damage, court records show. She fled the venue after the attack, multiple reports indicate.
Gemma Monk cleaned herself and borrowed a dress to proceed with the wedding, which took place on May 24, 2024, two hours after the paint attack. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Gemma Monk described that she did not think twice, stating she would have walked down the aisle in her knickers and with black paint over her face if she had to. The repair costs and loss of revenue at Oakwood House were believed to exceed £5,000, according to court reports.
We had waited for that day for so long. Nothing was going to stop me.
Antonia Eastwood and her husband were not invited to Gemma Monk's wedding due to an ongoing feud, sources say. Gemma Monk was accused by Antonia Eastwood of trying to trip her up during Antonia's wedding in September 2023, Gemma Monk said. Gemma Monk has suffered depression and been unable to work since the incident, multiple reports indicate.
She is 35 years old, while Antonia Eastwood is 49 years old. Gemma Monk and Ken Monk have been partners for over 20 years. Ken Monk was once best friends with Ashley, Antonia Eastwood's husband, and introduced Gemma to Ashley when she was 14, according to sources.
She was determined that the wedding was not going to happen.
Antonia Eastwood now lives in Manchester, multiple reports indicate. Gemma Monk does not know why Antonia Eastwood attacked her, she said. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Gemma Monk described that Eastwood was determined that the wedding was not going to happen.
What specific sentence Eastwood received for the criminal damage offences has not been confirmed, and it is unclear if she provided any explanation or motive for the attack in court. How Eastwood gained access to the wedding venue if she was not invited remains unknown, as do the specific repairs necessary at Oakwood House and how long it was forced to close. Gemma Monk said the paint attack by her brother's wife changed her outlook on life and made her question whether she had done something wrong, according to her statement.
I did not think twice, I would have walked down the aisle in my knickers and with black paint over my face if I had to.
She added that it had a dramatic impact on her life, making her extremely emotional when discussing it. Monk also stated that without her children or family, she might not even get out of bed to care for herself. She concluded that she had lost her dignity and good habits, and the incident turned her most special day into her worst memory.
To have paint thrown over me by my brother's wife changed my outlook on life and made me question whether I had done something really bad, whether I had done something wrong.
This has had a dramatic impact on my life. Even while I was providing this statement at the police station, I got extremely emotional and started crying while talking about the incident.
Since the incident, if it wasn't for my children or my family, I don't think I would even get out of bed to care for myself.
I have lost all my dignity and good habits in life. I have lost who I used to be.
This has turned the most special day of my life into the worst memory I will never forget, and neither will my family.