Tommy Robinson slapped with 9 months in jail for ‘contempt of court’
Former EDL leader Tommy Robinson has been sentenced to 9 months in prison after being found guilty of contempt of court, linked to his filming of criminal defendants outside of a courthouse and broadcasting the footage online.
Sentencing Robinson at the Old Bailey in London on Thursday, Judge Dame Victoria Sharp told him: "You will be committed in prison for a period of 19 weeks.” Robinson will serve up to one half of that period to reflect the time already served.
Nothing less than a custodial penalty would properly reflect the gravity of the conduct we have identified.
The right-wing activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, arrived at court with supporter Katie Hopkins in tow, wearing a T-shirt that read “Convicted of Journalism” on the front and “Britain = North Korea” on the back.
“Britain = North Korea”Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) arrived in court this morning wearing a shirt comparing Britain to North Korea. He is currently being sentenced for contempt of court charges. pic.twitter.com/GyzjcF3hdd
— RT UK (@RTUKnews) July 11, 2019
Two High Court judges found Robinson, 36, guilty on July 5, stating that he had been “subjectively reckless” by breaching a reporting ban. The controversial figure filmed defendants in a child grooming trial and broadcast it on Facebook in May last year.
He was originally jailed for the offence on May 25 and released on August 1 following his appeal – serving a total of 69 days in custody, having received a 13-month sentence. A retrial was ordered after Robinson appealed the sentence with the lord chief justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, saying the ruling was “flawed.”
A number of both pro- and anti-Robinson demonstrators gathered outside the court, creating a febrile atmosphere as they waited for the verdict, with confrontations with the police and smoke bombs being let off.
To @theresa_may LOOK WHAT YOUVE DONE#FreeTommyRobinson#freetommypic.twitter.com/fB6wjN3nBP
— Jack (@Jack94Bridges) July 11, 2019
Robinson told InfoWars on Monday that he had sought political asylum in the United States, claiming that he feared for his life as “dark forces are at work” in his home country.
“I beg Donald Trump, I beg the American government, to look at my case. I need evacuation out of this country because there are dark forces at work in this nation,” Robinson stated in his video address.
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