Bride covered in black paint in 'revenge attack' by sister-in-law seconds before wedding
April 17, 2026
Gemma Monk was left in floods of tears after her sister-in-law Antonia Eastwood threw black paint over her wedding dress on her big day in a spiteful act of "revenge"
A bride's long-awaited wedding day turned into a scene of chaos and distress when her sister-in-law doused her in black paint just moments before the ceremony was due to begin. The incident, described as a malicious "revenge attack," occurred at the Oakwood House Register Office in Maidstone, leaving Gemma Monk, the bride, in tears with her expensive wedding dress ruined. In front of shocked wedding guests, Antonia Eastwood, the wife of the bride's older brother, carried out the assault before fleeing the scene.
Despite the shocking turn of events on May 24, 2024, the wedding between Gemma and her partner of over two decades, Ken Monk, was not derailed. Determined not to let the attack ruin the day she had been planning for years, Gemma Monk cleaned herself up in a changing room. An usher quickly found a replacement dress for her to wear. Just two hours after the distressing incident, the couple exchanged their vows, a testament to their resolve in the face of such a personal and public disruption.
The motive behind the attack appears to be rooted in a long-standing family feud. Relations had reportedly soured following Eastwood's own wedding a year prior, in September 2023, where she had accused Gemma Monk of trying to trip her. Consequently, Eastwood and her husband, who was once Ken Monk's best friend and had introduced the couple when they were teenagers, were not invited to the wedding. Eastwood later admitted to a probation officer that the act was indeed one of revenge.
The repercussions for Antonia Eastwood have been significant. At Maidstone Crown Court, she pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage for ruining the bride's dress and causing damage to the venue, which was estimated to be over £5,000. Eastwood, 49, received a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to complete 160 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, she was issued a 10-year restraining order and instructed to pay £4,000 in compensation to her sister-in-law and £1,000 to the wedding venue.
The incident has had a lasting and profound impact on Gemma Monk. A mental health care worker, she has since struggled with depression and has been unable to return to her job. In a victim impact statement read to the court, she described how the attack had dramatically changed her outlook on life and made her question herself. While the wedding proceeded, the memory of the day is now irrevocably tarnished by the vindictive act that preceded it.
Source: dailystar