Far-right Islamophobe Tommy Robinson faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted of conducting a campaign of harassment against two journalists, including threatening to visit their homes and publishing photographs of their families online.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was found guilty today of two counts of harassment causing fear of violence following a trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.
The 43-year-old targeted investigative journalist Andrew Young and Daily Mail editor Jacob Dirnhuber in August 2024 after becoming angry over newspaper coverage of his activities during the far-right riots that swept across parts of Britain.
A jury convicted Robinson by a majority of 10 to two on both charges after deliberating for more than 11 hours.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Robinson had used his substantial social media following to intimidate the journalists, including publishing images connected to their families and obtaining their home addresses.
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Stephen Lennon weaponised social media and subjected two journalists to a campaign of harassment which caused them serious fear of violence.”
He added: “The evidence in this case showed that he targeted the victims directly and indirectly through social media and by telephone. He also published images relating not only to them, but also their families.”
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
Robinson was granted bail following his conviction and is due to be sentenced on December 16. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, although the actual punishment will be determined by the judge.
Campaign of intimidation
The offences took place between August 5 and 7, 2024, during a period of widespread disorder in Britain following the murder of three young girls in Southport.
Robinson was in Cyprus at the time, where he was posting commentary about the unrest to his large online audience.
The Daily Mail and MailOnline subsequently published coverage examining his activities, including an article about his involvement in discussions surrounding the riots.
The newspaper had sent Young and a photographer to Cyprus to investigate Robinson, who reacted angrily to the resulting coverage.
The court heard that Robinson subsequently employed private investigators to establish the home addresses of journalists involved in the reporting, as well as Daily Mail editor-in-chief Ted Verity.
Prosecutors argued that this was part of a deliberate attempt to frighten and intimidate those responsible for the articles.
During a telephone conversation with Young on August 5, Robinson threatened to visit his home.
“I’m coming to get you,” he told the journalist.
Robinson also contacted Dirnhuber through direct messages on X, formerly Twitter, warning that he would come to his home.
“I’ll be knocking at your door,” he wrote.
In another message, he threatened to take his questions directly to the homes of journalists involved in the coverage.
Robinson also published posts identifying Dirnhuber and suggesting that he had successfully tracked down several journalists.
One message declared: “I got all three of you tagged and bagged in one day.”
The court heard that Robinson posted photographs of Dirnhuber outside his home, as well as cropped images featuring members of Young’s family.
Prosecutors said these actions went far beyond legitimate criticism of journalism and amounted to a sustained campaign designed to make the victims fear violence.
Journalists and families forced to take precautions
The court heard that Robinson’s conduct had serious consequences for the journalists and their families.
Young was provided with a close protection officer by the Daily Mail after photographs of his wife and children appeared on Robinson’s social media account.
He told the court that he feared Robinson’s followers might attempt to retaliate against him or his family.
Young was particularly concerned that Robinson’s large social media audience could encourage individuals to act independently, even if Robinson himself did not physically approach him.
Dirnhuber and his partner were forced to leave their home because of fears for their safety.
The journalist said he did not know how Robinson had obtained his address or whether the information had been shared with other people.
He feared that either Robinson or one of his supporters could confront him while travelling to work or at his home.
A third journalist, Daily Mail correspondent George Odling, also left his family home with his wife and young child because of concerns about their safety.
Although Odling was not one of the two complainants named in the criminal charges, evidence about the impact on him and his family was presented during the proceedings.
The court also heard evidence concerning a voicemail Robinson left for Daily Mail editor-in-chief Ted Verity.
In the message, Robinson claimed that he had located the journalists involved in the newspaper’s reporting.
Prosecutors argued that the combined effect of Robinson’s telephone calls, direct messages, social media posts and efforts to obtain personal information was intended to intimidate the reporters.
Robinson’s defence rejected
Robinson denied both charges and argued that his actions were a response to what he believed was irresponsible reporting by the Daily Mail.
He claimed that the newspaper had endangered his own family by publishing information about his whereabouts in Cyprus, including material that he believed could identify where his children were staying.
Robinson maintained that he wanted to question the journalists about their reporting rather than physically harm them.
During his evidence, he became emotional while discussing his children and the potential consequences of the newspaper’s coverage.
His defence argued that his conduct should be understood in the context of his concerns about his family’s safety.
However, prosecutors maintained that any grievance Robinson had with the newspaper did not justify targeting journalists and their families with threatening communications.
The jury ultimately accepted the prosecution’s case and convicted him on both counts.
Following the verdict, Robinson described the convictions as “insane” in a social media post. He later tweeted: “No surrender.”
CPS condemns threats against journalists
The CPS welcomed the convictions and stressed that journalists must be able to investigate public figures without fearing violence.
Frank Ferguson said: “The jury heard from the victims and witnesses in this case, ultimately deciding that this behaviour crossed the line into criminality.”
He added: “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.”
Ferguson said prosecutors would continue working with police to bring those responsible for such offences before the courts.
“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.”
The Daily Mail also welcomed the outcome, condemning Robinson’s behaviour and the consequences for its reporters and their families.
A newspaper spokesperson said Robinson’s actions had threatened the ability of its journalists to hold public figures accountable and reaffirmed the organisation’s support for their right to report in the public interest.
Previous convictions and sentencing
Robinson is a former leader and co-founder of the English Defence League (EDL), the anti-Islam street protest movement established in 2009.
He has remained a prominent figure in Britain’s far-right movement, using social media platforms and public demonstrations to campaign on immigration, Islam and other issues.
Robinson has a lengthy criminal record, including previous convictions for assault, fraud, using another person’s passport, contempt of court and public order offences. He has served several prison sentences over the past two decades.
During the latest trial, it also emerged that billionaire X owner Elon Musk had helped fund Robinson’s legal defence, something Robinson publicly acknowledged before proceedings began.
Following the jury’s verdict, Mr Justice Cavanagh indicated that he would consider the full range of sentencing options, including an immediate custodial sentence or a suspended prison sentence.
Robinson was released on bail pending his sentencing hearing at Southwark Crown Court on December 16.
