Tommy Robinson Loses Appeal Against 18-Month Jail Term
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, suffered a fresh blow as the Court of Appeal rejected his bid to overturn an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court. The judges ruled his breaches of a High Court injunction were serious and deliberate, backing the original sentencing judge’s “meticulous approach.”
Jail Time Over False Claims Against Schoolboy
Robinson, 42, was jailed in October 2023 for repeatedly breaking a 2021 injunction. The order barred him from spreading falsehoods about Jamal Hijazi, a Syrian schoolboy who successfully sued Robinson for libel. The original slurs followed a viral 2018 video of Mr Hijazi being attacked at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield.
Despite losing the libel case and being ordered to pay £100,000 in damages, Robinson kept pushing the lies. He released a film called Silenced that recycled the defamatory claims on social media and showcased it at a Trafalgar Square protest in 2023.
At Woolwich Crown Court, Mr Justice Johnson slammed Robinson’s actions as “flagrant,” warning, “nobody is above the law.”
Robinson’s Appeal Rejected Despite Mental Health Claims
Robinson argued his mental health, including ADHD and complex PTSD, worsened during segregation at HMP Woodhill, making the sentence harsher than expected. His lawyer, Alisdair Williamson KC, said Robinson’s condition was “making him ill” and claimed the court lacked full details at sentencing.
The Court of Appeal, led by Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, disagreed. They said there was no fresh medical evidence strong enough to reduce the sentence. Their 15-page ruling stated:
“Even taking the appellant’s case at its highest, we see no reasonable basis for the contention that the conditions that he is experiencing are so substantially worse than the judge anticipated… The evidence falls far short of the standard for a successful criminal appeal based on fresh medical evidence.”
The judges noted Robinson could still cut four months off his sentence if he removes the defamatory content from his online platforms, as previously recommended.
Official Response and What Happens Next?
An Attorney General’s Office spokesperson praised the ruling:
“Stephen Yaxley-Lennon repeatedly ignored judges’ orders and continued to spread libellous allegations. His 18-month sentence reflected how gravely the court considers contempt.”
This marks Robinson’s second legal setback in under a month, after a March High Court dismissal of his challenge over prison conditions.
Robinson is set for release on July 26, having served half his sentence. But he won’t earn further reductions unless he deletes the offending material as ordered.
The Origins of the Injunction
The High Court injunction arose after Robinson’s libellous Facebook posts falsely accusing Jamal Hijazi of attacking girls at school. The false claims sparked abuse and threats against the boy.
Mr Justice Nicklin awarded £100,000 in damages to Mr Hijazi and ordered Robinson to cease repeating the lies—an order Robinson brazenly defied, landing him back behind bars.
