Political activist Tommy Robinson, known by his legal name Stephen Lennon, broke down in tears at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday while testifying about the impact of a Daily Mail report on his family.
The 43-year-old is standing trial on two charges of harassment causing fear of violence, stemming from his response to a Mail Online article published in August 2024. The story, titled “Stoking riots from his sunbed,” reported on Robinson’s activities while he was in Cyprus.
Giving evidence from the witness box, Robinson described himself as “shocked and scared” after the article’s publication, claiming his phone was flooded with messages almost immediately. He testified that the report led to his location being identified by others, forcing him to move his family to a different part of his hotel under security supervision.
Robinson admitted in court to hiring private investigators to track down the home addresses of freelance journalist Andrew Young and editor Jacob Dirnhuber. He acknowledged that he posted a photograph of Mr. Dirnhuber taken outside his home on the social media platform X, explaining that he intended to “put pressure” on the journalists. When questioned by his defence barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, as to whether he intended to expose Mr. Dirnhuber to violence, Robinson replied: “Not at all. I didn’t really think about what he was being exposed to.”
The defendant, who founded the English Defence League, defended his actions as a response to what he perceived as an unfair news story. He claimed his goal was to “question the journalists on camera” regarding their decision to publish details about his family and location, which he insisted were inaccurate and dangerous. “I would not endanger any innocent family,” Robinson told the jury. “They could have run the story without giving my location. They shouldn’t have done that, and this is not journalism; this is endangering us.”
Robinson also claimed that he had attempted to reach out to Elon Musk, the owner of X, to have the article removed, citing the platform’s community guidelines against the publication of private addresses. He maintained that he was in a state of “panic” and felt his wife’s life was being permanently altered by the media coverage.
However, the prosecution previously characterized Robinson’s behavior as utilizing “bully-boy, intimidatory tactics” intended to frighten the journalists. In a recorded conversation with Mr. Young, which the prosecution has described as “menacing,” Robinson is alleged to have confronted the journalist over the article.
Robinson pleaded not guilty to both charges in July of last year. The trial at Southwark Crown Court is ongoing.
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