Journalists and their family members had to flee their homes after “bullyboy, intimidatory tactics” were deployed by the far-right activist known as Tommy Robinson, a court has been told as his harassment trial got under way. Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was alleged to have targeted journalists from the Daily Mail and Mail Online by circulating images of their homes to millions of online followers and in effect encouraging them to join in making threats. He is charged with two counts of harassment causing fear of violence to two MailOnline journalists, Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber in 2024, which Robinson denies.
Dirnhuber, a senior editor at the Mail, and his partner had to leave their home, while Young and his family were provided with a close protection officer after the alleged campaign of intimidation by Robinson. Robinson, a former member of the British National Party (BNP) and co-founder of the English Defence League (EDL), is accused of harassment causing fear of violence through X posts and direct messages. He is also alleged to have made a telephone call on 5 August 2024 in which he is accused of telling Young he would visit his house, saying: “I’m coming to get you.” Opening the case for the prosecution on Monday at Southwark crown court, barrister Ben Holt told the jury Robinson could have chosen to complain to a press regulator after the Mail reported on his alleged role as an “influencer” encouraging the violence that broke out after the Southport murders in July 2024.
The paper’s coverage included photos of Robinson reclining on a sunlounger, a phone in hand, while on holiday in Cyprus, where a team from the Daily Mail had located him. Members of the jury were shown an image of a front page which included a photo of Robinson and the headline: “Stoking Race Riots from his Sunbed.” “This trial is about the defendant’s reaction to this, what he perceived to be, unnecessary intrusion into his holiday,” said Holt. His supporters, followers, got involved, threatening the journalists.
Understandably, you might agree, they were scared, in some circumstances being forced to leave their homes. The prosecution say this defendant, using bullyboy, intimidatory tactics, threatened the journalists. He sent photographers to their home addresses.
He put pictures, albeit redacted, of them out on his timeline on X for the enjoyment and appreciation of his followers. Holt took the jury through Robinson’s reaction on X to the Mail’s coverage, which was said to have changed in tone from being “reasonable” and “concerned” to “retaliatory”. Holt said that it was was inevitable “and would have been known” by Robinson that his online followers and supporters “would pick up the baton and attack” those he was talking about.
Examples given included tweets from an X account using the name The Secret SpAd, which posted the home address of Young while the journalist was still in Cyprus. It was posted with the comment: ”Please be sure to congratulate him.” When Young returned home from Cyprus on 6 August, his wife and daughters told him that a man in a grey Audi had parked outside their home. The man was confronted by the journalist’s daughter but ignored her, and a report was made to police.
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