Mob violence as Robinson faces jail for contempt
Violence erupted outside the old Bailey yesterday after Tommy Robinson was found in contempt of court at a retrial.
A crowd of his supporters threw beer cans and chanted ‘shame on you’ at the court, while police officers wielding batons held them back behind security barriers.
The disgraceful scenes came as Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-lennon, learned that he could face jail again for interfering with a trial at leeds crown court in May 2018. He filmed defendants accused of the sexual exploitation of young girls outside the court and livestreamed the footage in breach of a reporting ban.
The former english Defence league leader, 36, denied any wrongdoing, saying he did not believe he was breaching any reporting restrictions and only referred to information already in the public domain. He was previously jailed for 13 months after being found in contempt of court on the day of the broadcast but he only served two months in jail due to a successful appeal in August 2018.
Speaking outside the old Bailey yesterday, he told the BBc: ‘i know i’m going back to prison.’
High court judge Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Mr Justice Warby, said she found Robinson in contempt in three respects: by breaching the reporting restriction imposed on the trial; by live-streaming the video from outside the public entrance to the court and by ‘aggressively confronting and filming’ some of the defendants.
She said the content of the video ‘gave rise to a substantial risk that the course of justice in that case would be seriously impeded... A hearing to decide the appropriate penalty will take place on a date to be fixed by the court.’
A provisional date of July 11 was given. Robinson, from luton, showed little reaction as the judge announced the decision. Addressing the crowd outside, he said: ‘i’ve been convicted cos of who i am, not what i’ve done.’
After his appeal, the case was referred to the Attorney General, who said in March that it was in the public interest to bring fresh proceedings.
Attorney General Geoffrey cox Qc said yesterday: ‘Posting material online that breaches reporting restrictions or risks prejudicing legal proceedings is a very serious matter and this is reflected in the court’s decision today.’
contempt of court carries a sentence of up to two years in jail.