Tommy Robinson faces up to ۱۰ years in prison after being found guilty of harassing two journalists to the point it caused them fear of violence.
Journalists from the Daily Mail and their family members fled their homes after “bullyboy, intimidatory tactics” were deployed by the far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, his trial was told.
Robinson had shared pictures of the family of one of the journalists online and said he had “tagged and bagged” all three reporters who worked on an article about his alleged role influencing unrest that broke out after the ۲۰۲۴ Southport murders. The charges related to two of the journalists, Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber.
Dirnhuber and his partner had to leave their home, while Young and his family were provided with a close protection officer after an alleged campaign of intimidation that also included a call to the editor of the Daily Mail, saying he would make the journalists and their families “famous”.
Robinson was found guilty on both counts against him on Wednesday at Southwark crown court. The jury had deliberated for two days and had to be directed by the judge that they could return a majority verdict rather than a unanimous one.
A number of journalists had to be given an escort by security after they were threatened inside the court by one of Robinson’s supporters, after the man was ejected from the press gallery and later from the courtroom.
Robinson, a former member of the British National party and co-founder of the English Defence League, had said ahead of the trial that his legal bills were being paid for by the billionaire tech mogul and owner of X, Elon Musk.
He was accused of harassment causing fear of violence through posts shared with his hundreds of thousands of followers on X and by direct messages. He called Young on ۵ August ۲۰۲۴ and told him that he would visit his house, saying: “I’m coming to get you.”
Robinson, who attended court each day with a large number of supporters, was said to have become enraged after the Mail tracked him down to a hotel in Cyprus, where he was commenting on events in the UK following the Southport murders, and published a story about him with the headline “Stoking race riots from his sunbed”.
Dirnhuber said in a witness statement he did not know how Robinson had obtained his address, or who he had shared it with, adding: “I was concerned about the risk of being intercepted on my way to work, either by Robinson for a livestreamed interview or by an unpredictable supporter of his hoping to cause me or my partner physical harm.”
Young said he felt his family was under threat and he was fearful of what might happen next. “It was clear to me that Tommy Robinson was following through on his threats. My main concern was that while he may not physically harm me, he had ۸۰۰,۰۰۰ followers on X at the time who might have been tempted to seek revenge on me, or my home, or my family for what I had written.”
A third Daily Mail journalist, George Odling, said in a witness statement that he, his wife and young child had to leave their home through a neighbour’s house because they feared being followed by Robinson’s supporters.
The trial heard that Robinson’s “angry” and “retaliatory” posts began on ۵ August ۲۰۲۴, as he questioned the Daily Mail’s decision to photograph and write the story about him in Cyprus.
In a post on X, which has been viewed ۲۴۴,۰۰۰ times and made reference to the newspaper’s front page headline “Stoking riots from his sunbed”, he wrote: “Quick question, these lies have a direct result on threats to my family.
“Is it ok if I track down the journalists addresses + families details + dox them. Would that be journalism. This has been coordinated from the top down because my latest documentary humiliates their lies.
“They have purposely doxxed where my children are is it fair for me to do the same to them.”
Robinson said in evidence he had been in “a panic” after the Mail had in effect identified the hotel in Cyprus where he had gone with family and friends and published a photo of his ex-wife, which he said put her at risk. He said he had only wanted to question the journalists and claimed they knew he was “not coming to beat them up.”
After he was found guilty, the Crown Prosecution Service said Robinson had “weaponised social media”. Frank Ferguson, the head of the CPS’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: “Nobody should be made to fear violence because of the work they do. Journalists play an important role in a democratic society and should be able to carry out their professional duties without being subjected to harassment.
“We will always seek to work with the police to prosecute those who break the law and I hope these convictions provide reassurance that such behaviour will be treated seriously by the criminal justice system.”
Welcoming the verdict, a spokesperson for the Daily Mail said: “Yaxley-Lennon’s behaviour was reprehensible, and had grave consequences for our reporters and their families. Through his actions, Yaxley-Lennon sought to undermine our right to hold him to account. We stand by our journalists and their freedom to report legitimately in the public interest.”
Robinson is due back in court on ۱۶ December for a sentencing hearing. Mr Justice Cavanagh said after the verdict he would be considering all options, including a custodial sentence, whether in full or suspended. Harassment causing fear of violence can carry a maximum sentence of ۱۰ years in prison.
