Tommy Robinson, 43, has been found guilty of harassing two Daily Mail journalists after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Jurors took 11 hours and 25 minutes to reach their verdicts, finding him guilty by a majority of 10 to two on both charges of harassment causing fear of violence. The journalists are freelance reporter Andrew Young and Daily Mail editor Jacob Dirnhuber. Prosecutors described Robinson as a “bully” during the trial.
Robinson, who told the trial his full name is Stephen Lennon, was granted bail ahead of his sentencing on 16 December.
The case centred on articles published by the Daily Mail and MailOnline in August 2024 about Robinson “stoking riots from his sunbed” during unrest in the UK following the murders of three girls in Southport. Robinson was on holiday in Cyprus at the time and had been posting on social media about the unfolding situation, prompting the newspaper to send Mr Young and a photographer to the island.
After the story was published, Robinson posted criticisms on his X account of Mr Young and Mr Dirnhuber over their involvement in the article. He went on to hire private investigators to find the home addresses of his victims, as well as the home address of Daily Mail editor-in-chief Ted Verity. The jury accepted the prosecution’s case that the decision to hire detectives was designed to “intimidate” his victims, with photographs of Mr Dirnhuber outside his home and cropped images of Mr Young’s family posted online by Robinson.
As well as social media posts and direct messages to Mr Dirnhuber, Robinson became “increasingly menacing” on a telephone call with Mr Young on 5 August 2024, telling the freelance journalist: “I’m coming to get you.”
The court heard about the impact the campaign had on those targeted. Prosecutor Ben Holt previously told the court Mr Young was given a close protection officer by the Daily Mail after photographs of his wife and children were posted on Robinson’s X account. Mr Dirnhuber had to move house because of the harassment, and Daily Mail correspondent George Odling also felt the need to leave his family home after becoming concerned with the publicity surrounding his colleagues. Mr Verity gave evidence to police about a voicemail he received from Robinson in which Robinson said he had located all of them.
Jurors rejected Robinson’s claim that the Daily Mail had put his family in danger by publishing the story. He wept in the witness box as he spoke about the relationship he had with his children. Before the trial began, he posted on X to thank Tesla owner Elon Musk for funding his legal fees.
Harassment causing fear of violence is the more serious form of harassment charge. It requires a course of conduct — behaviour on more than one occasion — that causes another person to fear that violence will be used against them. It carries a significantly higher maximum sentence than basic harassment, reflecting the fear and disruption it is intended to capture.
The verdicts were majority verdicts, which are permitted in criminal trials in England and Wales when a jury cannot agree unanimously. After a judge is satisfied the jury has had enough time to deliberate, jurors may return a verdict on which at least 10 of the 12 agree, as happened here after more than 11 hours of deliberation.
The timeline of the case stretches from the summer of 2024 to today’s verdict. The articles that prompted the case were published in August 2024, the telephone call to Mr Young followed on 5 August that year, and the trial concluded with guilty verdicts on both counts on 28 October 2026. Sentencing will follow on 16 December at the same court.
Southwark Crown Court, on the south bank of the Thames, is one of London’s busiest criminal courts and regularly hears serious and high-profile trials. Robinson’s case is the latest in a series of court outcomes in the capital this year, including the conviction of former police officer Mark Tyrrell at the same court, who is also due to be sentenced on 16 December. Readers can also follow other recent court reporting, including the Leyton stabbing case, in which a teenager has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
Image: Southwark Crown Court (library photo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0).
