Influencer Fined for Lewd Comments to Supermarket Worker

Ed Matthews, a 'Manosphere' influencer who was featured in a Louis Theroux documentary, has been fined £4,500 for making lewd comments to a Polish Sainsbury's worker. The incident occurred on the evening of March 2 at the supermarket's store in Lancaster.

Matthews, 24, and four other men surrounded the female employee, who had a shoulder injury and her arm in a sling. According to prosecutors at Preston Magistrates' Court, the group left the worker feeling "trapped." The exchange began when one of the men asked the employee where the mead was located. The group then questioned her about British food, with Matthews asking if she "likes English wood," a phrase the employee understood to mean penis. He then reportedly asked if she liked "Polish wood" and if she was a lesbian.

The court heard that Matthews, who was on crutches at the time, also described how he had injured his leg during a threesome. The employee, seeking to end the interaction, provided one of the men with her Instagram details. She subsequently reported the incident to her manager, which led to police identifying Matthews through a social media account that followed her.

Matthews was interviewed by officers in August but provided no comment to their questions. His lawyer, Saf Rathor, stated that Matthews earns between £5,000 and £10,000 per month and expressed that his client was "embarrassed and ashamed" of his conduct, adding that he had "turned to God."

Matthews had previously been jailed for 12 weeks earlier this year for attacking an individual he believed to be a paedophile. His lawyer asserted that Matthews had "turned over a new leaf" since his prison sentence and wishes to "inspire the young."

Matthews pleaded guilty to one charge of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behavior to cause harassment, alarm, or distress. He received a fine of £2,884, a £1,154 victim surcharge, £500 in compensation, and £85 in costs. Presiding magistrate Deborah Topping noted that Matthews had taken a leading role and that the employee "felt trapped" by the "sustained" nature of his comments.

Following the hearing, a video was posted on Matthews' lawyer's TikTok account showing Matthews claiming to have "gotten out of a case" while standing in front of a prison van. Matthews appeared in Louis Theroux's "Inside the Manosphere" documentary, where he made anti-semitic claims about Jewish people controlling the world. After the documentary aired, Matthews questioned if the show was a "hit piece" and suggested creating a "hit piece" on Theroux.