Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to contempt of court. Robinson admitted to showing a defamatory video about a Syrian refugee at a public rally, violating a High Court injunction from 2021.
The court order was initially issued after Robinson made libellous claims against Jamal Hijazi, a young Syrian refugee, in a widely circulated video that showed Hijazi being bullied at his school in Huddersfield. Robinson was successfully sued by Hijazi in 2021 and was ordered to pay £100,000 in damages, along with legal costs, while also being banned from repeating the allegations or showing the video again.
Despite the injunction, Robinson displayed the video to his supporters during a protest at Trafalgar Square in July 2024. He further promoted the defamatory content on his social media account and repeated the claims in interviews between February and June 2023. In court, the Solicitor General’s lawyers argued that Robinson had shown “flagrant disregard” for the court’s authority, “thumbing his nose at the law” by knowingly violating the order.
Robinson, who appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, admitted to 10 breaches of the court order. He was remanded into custody on Friday after handing himself in at Folkestone police station. At the start of the hearing, Robinson acknowledged his actions in court, answering “yes” when asked if he accepted responsibility for the breaches.
The Solicitor General had issued two contempt claims against Robinson, citing his repeated defiance of the injunction. Robinson’s actions sparked further legal action, including a claim under the Terrorism Act after he allegedly failed to provide his phone access code to police.
Nick Lowles, CEO of the anti-extremism campaign group Hope Not Hate, commented on the case, stating, “Tommy Robinson thought he was above the law but was finally held accountable. Our team painstakingly documented his repeated contempt, providing an 86-page dossier of evidence to authorities, which led to his conviction.”
Robinson’s defiance led to significant public protests by his supporters, who gathered in central London over the weekend, calling for his release. Demonstrators marched from Victoria Station to Parliament Square, carrying banners in support of Robinson.
This sentencing marks the latest chapter in Robinson’s controversial career, during which he has been repeatedly involved in legal battles related to his activism and defiance of court orders.
