Conservative UK activist Tommy Robinson has been jailed for 18 months after admitting to contempt of court.
Robinson, 41, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted to breaching a 2021 High Court injunction barring him from making claims about a Syrian refugee student, Jamal Hijazi - whose lawyers successfully sued Robonson for libel and ordered to pay 100,000 pounds ($129,000) in damages.
On Friday, police confirmed that Robinson had been arrested on "one count of failing to provide the PIN to his mobile phone"
Under UK law, police have the right to stop anyone passing through a UK port "to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism."
Robinson was charged under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act of 2000. The incident follows a High Court Judge who issued a warrant for the activist's arrest after he failed to appear for a contempt of court hearing due to take place at the end of July.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, handed himself on Friday afternoon in to Folkestone police station where he was charged with failing to provide the PIN to his mobile phone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. He was bailed to appear in court next month, Kent police said. He was then remanded in custody under a high court direction, the force said.
In July Robinson allegedly refused to give police access to his mobile phone when he was stopped under the Terrorism Act at the Channel tunnel. He had been bailed subject to returning to Folkestone police station.
He is also due to appear at Woolwich crown court on Monday on separate charges of contempt of court for repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee. Robinson’s supporters, who now control his X account, told his 1 million followers on the platform that he is being held on remand until Monday’s court appearance. -The Guardian
Tommy Robinson rally 26 october pic.twitter.com/7tgEYIyndZ
— Alternativ Media (@AlternativMedi3) October 26, 2024
🚨Breaking: British Journalist Tommy Robinson has been arrested for a contempt of court charge related to showing his documentary film, Silenced.
— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) October 25, 2024
He is also wanted a for a terrorism charge related to his refusal to give authorities access to his phone after they used their… pic.twitter.com/34zVZ6vRYh
"The breaches were not accidental or negligent or merely reckless," said Judge Jeremy Johnson of London's Woolrich Crown Court. "Each breach of the injunction was a considered and planned and deliberate and direct and flagrant breach of the court's order."
Britain's Solicitor General took legal action against Yaxley-Lennon over comments in online interviews and a documentary titled 'Silenced', which has been viewed millions of times and was played in London's Trafalgar Square in July.
The Solicitor General's lawyer Aidan Eardley said Yaxley-Lennon had been found in contempt on three separate occasions and was jailed for it in 2019. He also has separate criminal convictions.
Yaxley-Lennon was accused by some media and politicians of inflaming tensions which led to days of rioting across Britain in late July after the murder of three young girls at a dance workshop in Southport. He has accused the media of lying about him. -Reuters
According to Robinson's lawyer, Sasha Wass, "He acted in the way that he did, and he accepts his culpability, because he passionately believes in free speech, a free press and the overwhelming desire that he has to expose the truth."
In a display of unity and defiance, up to 200,000 Tommy Robinson supporters gathered peacefully in central London, despite his absence due to a sudden remand by police. The Unite the Kingdom rally was set to begin its march to Parliament Square after 1 p.m., but the massive… pic.twitter.com/N6PfDo4xsQ
— Stan Voice of Wales (@StanVoWales) October 26, 2024
The judge said that 4 months could be cut from Robinson's sentence if he tried to "purge" his contempt, including by taking down copies of "Silenced." As the judge said this, Robinson could be seen mouthing "nah" to the public gallery.
Conservative UK activist Tommy Robinson has been jailed for 18 months after admitting to contempt of court.
Robinson, 41, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted to breaching a 2021 High Court injunction barring him from making claims about a Syrian refugee student, Jamal Hijazi - whose lawyers successfully sued Robonson for libel and ordered to pay 100,000 pounds ($129,000) in damages.
On Friday, police confirmed that Robinson had been arrested on "one count of failing to provide the PIN to his mobile phone"
Under UK law, police have the right to stop anyone passing through a UK port "to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism."
Robinson was charged under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act of 2000. The incident follows a High Court Judge who issued a warrant for the activist's arrest after he failed to appear for a contempt of court hearing due to take place at the end of July.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, handed himself on Friday afternoon in to Folkestone police station where he was charged with failing to provide the PIN to his mobile phone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. He was bailed to appear in court next month, Kent police said. He was then remanded in custody under a high court direction, the force said.
In July Robinson allegedly refused to give police access to his mobile phone when he was stopped under the Terrorism Act at the Channel tunnel. He had been bailed subject to returning to Folkestone police station.
He is also due to appear at Woolwich crown court on Monday on separate charges of contempt of court for repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee. Robinson’s supporters, who now control his X account, told his 1 million followers on the platform that he is being held on remand until Monday’s court appearance. -The Guardian
Tommy Robinson rally 26 october pic.twitter.com/7tgEYIyndZ
— Alternativ Media (@AlternativMedi3) October 26, 2024
🚨Breaking: British Journalist Tommy Robinson has been arrested for a contempt of court charge related to showing his documentary film, Silenced.
— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) October 25, 2024
He is also wanted a for a terrorism charge related to his refusal to give authorities access to his phone after they used their… pic.twitter.com/34zVZ6vRYh
"The breaches were not accidental or negligent or merely reckless," said Judge Jeremy Johnson of London's Woolrich Crown Court. "Each breach of the injunction was a considered and planned and deliberate and direct and flagrant breach of the court's order."
Britain's Solicitor General took legal action against Yaxley-Lennon over comments in online interviews and a documentary titled 'Silenced', which has been viewed millions of times and was played in London's Trafalgar Square in July.
The Solicitor General's lawyer Aidan Eardley said Yaxley-Lennon had been found in contempt on three separate occasions and was jailed for it in 2019. He also has separate criminal convictions.
Yaxley-Lennon was accused by some media and politicians of inflaming tensions which led to days of rioting across Britain in late July after the murder of three young girls at a dance workshop in Southport. He has accused the media of lying about him. -Reuters
According to Robinson's lawyer, Sasha Wass, "He acted in the way that he did, and he accepts his culpability, because he passionately believes in free speech, a free press and the overwhelming desire that he has to expose the truth."
In a display of unity and defiance, up to 200,000 Tommy Robinson supporters gathered peacefully in central London, despite his absence due to a sudden remand by police. The Unite the Kingdom rally was set to begin its march to Parliament Square after 1 p.m., but the massive… pic.twitter.com/N6PfDo4xsQ
— Stan Voice of Wales (@StanVoWales) October 26, 2024
The judge said that 4 months could be cut from Robinson's sentence if he tried to "purge" his contempt, including by taking down copies of "Silenced." As the judge said this, Robinson could be seen mouthing "nah" to the public gallery.