Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, widely known as Tommy Robinson, faces the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence after being found guilty of harassing two Daily Mail journalists.
At Southwark Crown Court on Monday, the 43-year-old remained motionless as a jury returned a majority verdict of 10 to two, convicting him on two counts of harassment causing fear of violence. The charges stem from a targeted campaign against freelance journalist Andrew Young and Daily Mail editor Jacob Dirnhuber in August 2024.
The trial revealed that Robinson, who was holidaying in Cyprus during the nationwide rioting that followed the murders of three children in Southport, retaliated after the Daily Mail published an article accusing him of “stoking riots from his sunbed.” Robinson responded by launching a barrage of attacks on the two journalists involved in the story via his account on X.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Robinson “weaponised social media” and went to extreme lengths to intimidate the men. The court heard that Robinson hired private investigators to track down the home addresses of both victims, as well as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Ted Verity. Evidence presented during the trial included photographs of Mr Dirnhuber’s home and cropped images of Mr Young’s family posted online. During a phone call to Mr Young, Robinson was recorded issuing a direct threat, telling the journalist, “I’m coming to get you.”
The impact on the victims was severe. Mr Young was assigned a close protection officer, while Mr Dirnhuber was forced to move house. Another Daily Mail journalist, George Odling, also relocated his family due to concerns for their safety. In a chilling voicemail left for Mr Verity, Robinson claimed: “I’ve already located every f** one of you.”
Robinson, who testified that he felt the newspaper had endangered his own family, wept in the witness box when discussing his children. However, the jury rejected his defense that his actions were a form of retaliation for the perceived threats to his loved ones.
Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, condemned the conduct, stating: “Nobody should be made to fear violence because of the work they do. Journalists play an important role in a democratic society and should be able to carry out their professional duties without being subjected to harassment.”
The activist, who thanked billionaire Elon Musk on social media for funding his legal defense, was granted bail until his sentencing on December 16. Under UK law, the charge of harassment causing fear of violence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, which can rise to 14 years if the offense is found to be racially or religiously aggravated.
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