Tommy Robinson faces being sent back to prison today for encouraging ”vigilante action” against defendants in a grooming gang trial during a video livestreamed on Facebook.
The founder of the English Defence League was found in contempt of court last week over the film, which breached reporting restrictions on the case in Leeds in May 2018 and came close to collapsing the case against the guilty men.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, will be sentenced at the Old Bailey this morning. He was originally jailed for 13 months last year but was freed on appeal. The maximum sentence is two years’ imprisonment.
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Speaking after the sentencing, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC said: “Today’s sentencing of Yaxley-Lennon serves to illustrate how seriously the courts will take matters of contempt.
“Posting material online that breaches reporting restrictions or risks prejudicing legal proceedings has consequences, and I would urge everyone to think carefully about whether their social media posts could amount to contempt of court.”
In a damning ruling, Dame Victoria Sharp said Robinson lied to the court during his contempt hearing.
She said: “The respondent cannot be given credit for pleading guilty. He has lied about a number of matters and sought to portray himself as the victim of unfairness and oppression.
“This does not increase his sentence, but it does mean that there can be no reduction for an admission of guilt.”
Outside court, Robinson’s supporters booed as news of his sentence filtered through.
The crowd marched towards the Old Bailey chanting “we want Tommy out” before some began pelting police with drinks bottles and cans.
Officers donned their helmets as violent clashes erupted, reports the Press Association.
A predictable reaction from outside court.
However, Robinson will only have to spend another 9.5 weeks in prison, before being released. And he could be released before that for good behaviour.
The effect is that Robinson’s sentence has been reduced from the original 13 months passed at Leeds Crown Court last year. So in one way it was worth appealing.
Someone purporting to be Tommy Robinson has sent this message over the Telegram app: “Sentenced to prison for journalism. Time for protests to start, this is an absolute joke!” It added: “Protest outside whatever prison I’m in on Saturday please.”
Robinson sits in court nodding his head at supporters in public gallery. No vocal reacion in court.
Robinson stands up in court.
Dame Victoria Sharp: “You will be committed in prison for a period of 19 weeks”.
He will serve up to one half of that period.
Penalty reduced by 138 days to reflect time already served.
Total penalty is committal to prison for nine months.
Judge says will activate suspended sentence for previous contempt at Canterbury, to run consecutively.
“The least appropriate penalty is one of six months,” she says, referring to the contempt found in relation to Leeds Crown Court. Judge says they have decided that only immediate custody is commensurate with case.
Says that Robinson cannot have a reduction for admission or guilt or for remorse.
The maximum possible sentence is two years, but there are no sentencing guidelines, says Dame Victoria Sharp.
“The main purpose of the penalty in this case is deterrence.”
She say the court is also determined to uphold the rule of law and “ensure future compliance with orders of the court.”
“We are in no doubt a custodial threshold is passed in this case. Nothing less than a custodial penalty would reflect the gravity of the conduct.”
One aggravating feature was Robinson’s previous offending and suspended sentence for contempt. He has 11 convictions, including for violence.
Says the grooming gang trial at Leeds was an important one. “The contempts we have found proved were not ones of deliberate defiance. In the event neither the trial nor the trial that followed were prejudiced. Nevertheless his conduct amounted to a serious contempt.”
Says Robinson showed a “reckless disobedience”.
Dame Victoria Sharp refers to finding of contempt of court last week.
“Our task today is to propose an appropriate penalty.”
