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Political activist Tommy Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is facing charges of harassment after allegedly intimidating two Daily Mail journalists, Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber, to the extent that they had to take serious security measures. The court heard that these “bully-boy, intimidatory tactics” caused both reporters to either leave their homes or employ protective security.
Robinson, a 43-year-old from Bedfordshire and founder of the English Defence League, pleaded not guilty to two counts of harassment involving fear of violence. Prosecutor Ben Holt outlined that the case revolved around Yaxley-Lennon’s response to what he viewed as an invasive intrusion during his holiday following the Southport attacks in 2024. The Daily Mail had published images and articles revealing his whereabouts in Cyprus, which Robinson claimed endangered his family’s safety.
At Southwark Crown Court, Mr Justice Cavanagh emphasized to the jury that the case was not about Robinson’s political stance but solely concerned his alleged conduct. Holt described Robinson as a prominent figure with more than two million followers on the social media platform X, highlighting his significant online presence. Prior to the trial, Robinson publicly thanked X’s owner, Elon Musk, for financially supporting his legal defence, stating that his court costs had reached £400,000.
The trial presented evidence that after the murders of three children in Southport on 29 July 2024, Robinson was active on social media, prompting the Daily Mail to reveal his location. Robinson then posted on X accusing the newspaper of doxxing him and publishing the exact location of his family, despite jurors being told no identifiable images of his children had been published. The prosecution alleged that Robinson responded by frightening the journalists, disseminating images of their homes to millions of followers, and inciting his supporters to threaten them, forcing the journalists to leave their homes. Direct messages and a menacing phone call from Robinson to the reporters were also described, which included threats of visits to their homes and attempts to intimidate by revealing personal information
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