EDL founder jailed for second time over Facebook video featuring defendants
Tommy Robinson has been jailed for a second time over a video he broadcast on Facebook featuring defendants in a criminal trial – in breach of a reporting ban.
The English Defence League (ED L) founder, real name Stephen Y axle y-Lennon, showed little reaction as he was handed a nine-month sentence at the Old Bailey yesterday – of which he will serve just nine-and-a-half weeks.
Robinson, 36, of Luton, Bedfordshire, was found to have committed contempt of court last Friday, following a twoday High Court hearing held at the Old Bailey.
He looked up at the public gallery and winked as he was led to the cells through the secure dock in the centre of the courtroom, carrying a holdall, before being driven away in a prison van.
Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Mr Justice War by, said the contempt committed by Robinson was not “deliberate defiance” and he had not intended to “interfere with the administration of justice”.
However, the judge said his conduct amounted to a “serious contempt” and involved “reckless disobedience” of an important court order, imposed to protect a trial and a later linked trial.
Robinson was found 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.
Dame Victoria and Mr Justice Warby concluded he committed contempt by breaching the reporting restriction imposed on the trial, by livestreaming the video from outside the public entrance to the court and by “aggressively confronting and filming” some of the defendants.
Giving reasons for their findings on Tuesday, Dame Victoria said Robinson encouraged “vigilante action” in the video, which lasted an hour-and-ahalf and was viewed online 250,000 times on the morning of the broadcast.
His sentence was made up of six months for the Leeds contempt, plus three months for an earlier contempt committed at Canterbury Crown Court in 2017.
Dame Victoria told Robinson that the time he previously spent behind bars will be taken into account, reducing his sentence to 19 weeks – of which he will serve half before being released.
She said the purpose of sentencing for contempt was “punishment and deterrence” and said the court was also “concerned to demonstrate its determination to uphold the rule of law”.
The judge added :“The respondent (Robinson) cannot be given credit for pleading guilty.
“He has lied about a number of matters and sought to portray himself as the victim of unfairness and oppression.
“This does not increase his sentence, but it does mean that there can be no reduction for an admission of guilt.”
She said the court took into consideration his 11 previous convictions, including for offences of violence, fraud and disobeying court orders, as well as the effect on him of his previous time in jail, his mental health and the impact of his incarceration on his family.
Supporters who had gathered outside court briefly clashed with police as the sentence was announced before marching to Parliament Square.