English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson arrives for his sentencing at the Old Bailey in London this morning
Dozens of Tommy Robinson supporters gathered at the Old Bailey today as he arrived to be sentenced for contempt of court over a video he broadcast online which featured defendants in a criminal trial.
The 36-year-old former English Defence League (EDL) founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was found to have committed contempt of court following a two-day hearing at the Old Bailey last week.
His supporters, including five women on mobility scooters, waved Union flags outside the court in London today amid a heavy police presence as people chanted his name and ‘We want Tommy out’.
Robinson walked through a throng of people to get to the court this morning, wearing paint-splattered ripped blue jeans, a black T-shirt – which said ‘convicted of journalism’ on the front and ‘Britain = North Korea’ on the back – and a badge reading ‘I support soldiers A-Z’.
But Robinson, who attended media law training in June 2017, was ten minutes late for the start of his hearing after speaking to his supporters outside the court, with the judge telling him: ‘It’s not a very good start.’
Robinson arrived amid chaotic scenes, with scores of supporters blocking nearby roads as they went to greet him. He also was mobbed by fans as he made his way towards the court building with his legal team.
At the start of the hearing, his barrister Richard Furlong apologised on his client’s behalf for his late arrival.
He told Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Warby that Robinson, who is from Luton, Bedfordshire, had arrived at a nearby train station 20 minutes before the hearing was due to begin, but was delayed by ‘a number of people outside who are here to support him’.
Dame Victoria replied: ‘Well, it’s not a very good start, is it?’. Aidan Eardley, representing the Attorney General, told the court about previous punishments handed out in cases of contempt.
Robinson arrives next to a City of London security guard for his sentencing for contempt of court at the Old Bailey today
Robinson was ten minutes late for the start of his hearing after speaking to his supporters outside the court in London today
Robinson arrived at the court today amid a heavy police presence as people chanted his name and ‘We want Tommy out’
Supporters of English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson at the Old Bailey in London today ahead of his sentencing
One supporter of Robinson carried a sign today reading: ‘The Nazis blindly followed orders. Will the police do the same’
He said that cases of ‘strict liability’ contempt have previously been dealt with by way of a fine, rather than a jail term, but he said these were ‘typically’ cases involving media organisations rather than individuals.
In mitigation, Mr Furlong asked the court to consider any ‘actual harm caused’ by Robinson’s actions.
He said: ‘Notwithstanding the seriousness of what has been found to be proven against him, in terms of actual harm to the trial of the criminal defendants in Leeds there is no suggestion that the criminal defendants in Leeds did not have a fair trial, notwithstanding his conduct outside the court’.
Mr Furlong asked the court to consider the delay in bringing the current proceedings, saying: ‘There has been an additional 14 months since the incident on May 25 (2018).’
He added: ‘There have been no further instances of contempt.’
Outside, a man with a microphone addressed the crowd, saying: ‘We’re here for Tommy Robinson’ and ‘Leave our Tommy alone’. One supporter carried a sign reading: ‘The Nazis blindly followed orders. Will the police do the same.’
Supporters, who also included a man wearing a Union flag suit, chanted ‘Shame on you’ as police officers surrounded a man and marched him away this morning.
Dame Victoria and Mr Justice Warby found Robinson was in contempt in three respects when he filmed men accused of the sexual exploitation of young girls and live-streamed the footage on Facebook, in breach of a reporting ban, outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018.
Giving reasons for the decision on Tuesday, Dame Victoria said Robinson encouraged ‘vigilante action’ in the video, which lasted an hour-and-a-half and was viewed online 250,000 times on the morning of the broadcast.
The judge said the words he used in the video would have been understood by viewers as ‘an incitement’ to harass the defendants and ‘gave rise to a real risk the course of justice would be seriously impeded’.
Throughout the Old Bailey hearing, Robinson denied any wrongdoing, saying he did not believe he was breaching reporting restrictions and only referred to information that was already in the public domain.
Robinson wore a black T-shirt today, which said ‘convicted of journalism’ on the front and ‘Britain = North Korea’ on the back
Robinson arrives at the Old Bailey this morning be sentenced for contempt of court over a video he broadcast online
A man with a microphone addressed the crowd today, saying: ‘We’re here for Tommy Robinson’ and ‘Leave our Tommy alone’
Stand Up To Racism demonstrators stand outside the Old Bailey in London as Robinson arrives for his sentencing today
Robinson (right, pictured in London after the court finding last Friday) was found to have been in contempt when he filmed men accused of sexual exploitation and live-streamed the footage on Facebook outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018 (left)
But Dame Victoria and Mr Justice Warby found he was in contempt by breaching the reporting restriction imposed on the trial, by live-streaming the video from outside the public entrance to the court and by ‘aggressively confronting and filming’ some of the defendants.
A number of Robinson’s supporters who gathered outside the court on Thursday and Friday reacted angrily after the result was announced.
Robinson broadcast the footage while the jury in the second of a series of linked grooming trials was considering its verdict.
The video was eventually viewed 3.4 million times after being shared following his arrest.
A reporting restriction was in place which postponed the publication of any details of the case until the end of all the trials involving 29 people, in a bid to ensure all defendants received a fair trial.
Robinson was jailed for 13 months after being found in contempt of court on the day of the broadcast.
He served two months in jail before being freed after the original finding of contempt was overturned by the Court of Appeal in August 2018.
But the case was then referred back to the Attorney General, who announced in March that it was in the public interest to bring fresh proceedings against Robinson.
Dame Victoria and Mr Justice Warby gave permission for the Attorney General to bring a new case against Robinson at a hearing in May.
Anyone found in contempt of court can be jailed for up to two years, receive an unlimited fine, or both.
In an appearance on the far-right conspiracy theory website InfoWars on Monday, Robinson asked US President Donald Trump to grant him asylum in America, claiming he faced being killed in prison if he was jailed.