Tommy Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in jail today after pleading guilty to contempt of court, with the judge telling him: “No one is above the law.”
The 41-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted 10 breaches of a 2021 High Court order banning him from repeating defamatory allegations against Syrian refugee Jamal Hijazi, who had successfully sued him.
The claims were broadcast in Robinson’s film, Silenced, which was financed by Infowars, an American company founded by famous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Mr. Justice Johnson He said he would not suspend the sentence because of the seriousness of the crime and because ‘the defendant has a history of poorly complying with court orders.’
As the sentence was handed down, Robinson, in a gray suit and white shirt, looked and nodded at his supporters in the public gallery, and swayed slightly in the dock, his hands clasped in front of him.
His supporters filled the public gallery and stood outside the court, and some in the court waved and blew kisses to Robinson as he walked away from the dock.
Tommy Robinson sitting next to a dock officer in court today, in a sketch drawn by Elizabeth Cook
The activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted contempt of court.
Supporters of the far-right activist gathered outside Woolwich Crown Court this morning.
In 2010, the last time he was jailed for contempt, of course, Robinson cried in a Sky TV documentary as he talked about spending 10 weeks in solitary confinement at HMP Belmarsh.
Justice Johnson told the court: “In a democratic society underpinned by the rule of law, court orders must be obeyed. They (the defendants) have the right to disagree with the outcome, they have no right to disobey the court order.
‘No one is above the law, no one can choose which laws to obey. They have no right to become judges of their own cause… Otherwise, the rule of law would collapse.
‘The defendant was fully aware of the terms of the court order and the consequences of failing to comply with it. The violations were neither accidental nor negligent nor simply reckless. Each of them was a planned, direct and flagrant violation of the court order.
The judge said Robinson would likely be released halfway through his prison sentence.
He described the leaks as “sophisticated” and designed to maximize coverage: one video was reported to have been viewed 44 million times.
Robinson had been banned from repeating false allegations against Jamal Hijazi, after the then-student successfully sued him for defamation.
Judge Johnson acknowledged that Robinson initially complied with the 2021 court order until approximately February 2023, when he was asked about the Hijazi case in an interview.
But the judge said: “The main harm caused by each offense is the corrosive effect it has on the administration of justice.”
He said the fact that Robinson continued to feature the offending video on his social media further indicated his determination to defy the court order.
He said: “The defendant has shown no remorse for breaching the order – it would be surprising if he had done so.”
‘The defendant has shown no willingness to comply with the order in the future. All of his actions so far suggest that he considers himself above the law.
“(He) continues to maintain material on his social media account in violation of the court order, even as this hearing takes place.”
The judge said Robinson could receive a four-month reduction in his sentence if he showed remorse and removed the video from his social media, while making efforts to have it removed elsewhere.
The activist’s contempt violations include the broadcast of a film, titled Silenced, at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square in July, one of six actions that allegedly violated the court order between June and July this year.
The movie is also pinned to the top of your X account.
Sasha Wass KC, for Robinson, told the court today that the film’s production was financed by Infowars, a company run by American Alex Jones, who claimed the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre was a hoax.
A man carrying an English flag watches as Robinson’s supporters gather outside Woolwich Crown Court.
Far-right protesters walk through London on Saturday in a rally backed by Robinson
Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.
Robinson made false claims after a clip of the incident went viral, including of Mr Hijazi attacking girls at his school, leading to the defamation case.
Judge Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay Hijazi £100,000 in damages and legal costs, as well as making the injunction preventing Robinson from repeating the allegations he made against the then teenager.
In a separate matter, Robinson has also been charged with failing to provide his mobile phone PIN under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act.
It follows his arrest in July at a Kent port, where he was accused of failing to comply with police demands.
Under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, officers can stop anyone passing through a UK port “to determine whether they may be involved or interested in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.
He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 13 in relation to this latest incident.
Robinson posted a video of himself arriving at Luton Airport on October 20 and said he was surprised he had not been arrested.
He then surrendered to the police, accompanied by a large entourage and many followers. He was remanded in custody before today’s hearing.
On Saturday, thousands of his supporters gathered in central London for a protest which Robinson did not attend after being remanded in custody.
Protesters carried banners reading “Two-tier Keir fueled riots” – a reference to widespread disorder across the UK this summer amid anger over the Southport dance class massacre, after misinformation on social media wrongly identified the alleged killer as a Muslim migrant – and chanted “We want Tommy out” as they headed from Victoria Station to Parliament Square.
Two people from the far-right march were arrested: one for a racially aggravated public order crime and the second for violating the conditions of the Public Order Law.
Another couple was arrested for assault at the Stand Up To Racism counterprotest.
Key landmarks near the march routes, including the cenotaph and the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, were closed to the public amid concerns about damage.
A young man holds a photo of Donald Trump as he marches through London as part of the crowd.
Stand Up To Racism counter-protesters also took to the streets of London.
Aidan Eardley KC, representing the Attorney General who brought the case, said a “resolution” had been reached over the allegations.
Eardley said: “The background to this matter begins in October 2018. Jamal Hijazi was a 15-year-old student who had recently arrived in the UK from Syria.
“He was attacked by a fellow student. That incident was filmed and posted online. That movie went viral. It attracted a lot of comment and suggests that Jamal Hijazi was the victim and that the motivation was racial.
“Mr Yaxley-Lennon became interested in that and, according to him, obtained evidence suggesting that Mr Hijazi was a violent bully at school and was getting what he deserved.”
He said Robinson posted his videos explaining this on his Facebook account, which had around 1 million followers at the time.
Eardley said Robinson was taken to court for defamation by the schoolboy, but cited a “truth” defence.
The judge concluded that Robinson did not prove his case sufficiently to meet the legal threshold.
Eardley said the film “Silenced” was “a substantial work” lasting around 90 minutes, “completely dedicated” to the Hijazi case.