Robinson was jailed for 18 months after he confessed to ‘flagrant’ breaches of court docket orders by making false allegations in opposition to a Syrian refugee.
The founding father of the English Defence League (EDL) Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, higher often known as Tommy Robinson, has been sentenced to 18 months in jail after he admitted to breaching court docket orders on a number of events in entrance of London judges on Monday.
The 41-year-old was ordered by the UK’s Excessive Courtroom in 2021 to stop selling libellous allegations a couple of teenage Syrian refugee after {the teenager} efficiently sued the far-right activist for libel over a collection of posts that falsely blamed the refugee of violently beating up a white feminine scholar.
Nonetheless, Robinson continued to repeat the feedback in a collection of interviews revealed on YouTube and in a televised speech broadcast at a far-right rally in central London in July. The speech was later posted on his X account.
Throughout the trial, the choose informed the defendant that 4 months may very well be lower from his sentence if he “purged” his accounts of the false and libellous materials. At this level Robinson reportedly appeared to his supporters within the gallery and mouthed the phrase “no”.
Born in Luton, Robinson based the nationalist and Islamophobic EDL within the city, which has a excessive Muslim inhabitants and has turn out to be some of the influential far-right figures in Britain.
He has additionally turn out to be a fixture at European far-right occasions after changing into chief of Pegida UK, an offshoot of the far-right group established in Germany in 2015 in response to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s choice to welcome over one million refugees, primarily from the Center East.
The activist additionally arrange the European Defence League, main protests in Amsterdam outdoors the trial of hard-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders in 2016, who was in court docket for inciting “discrimination and hatred” in opposition to Moroccans dwelling within the Netherlands.
A troubled historical past with the regulation
Hundreds of individuals rallied in assist of the far-right activist and chanted his identify on Saturday throughout an indication in central London. He was as a result of attend and tackle the “Unite the Kingdom” rally however was unable to as a result of he had been jailed.
Robinson has had a number of run-ins with authorized authorities and has been jailed a number of instances up to now for assault, contempt of court docket, and mortgage fraud.
He was banned from Twitter in 2018 for incendiary feedback, however he was allowed again after Elon Musk took over the social community, now referred to as X.
Earlier this summer time, the far-right determine was blamed for stirring up protests that changed into per week of riots throughout England and Northern Eire.
The violent unrest erupted after social media customers, together with Robinson – who was in Cyprus on vacation on the time – falsely recognized the suspect of a stabbing rampage that killed three younger women within the seaside neighborhood of Southport as an immigrant and a Muslim. The British media accused him of “stoking race riots from his sunbed”.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors accused him of placing “himself past the attain of authorities” after he left the UK a day earlier than he was final due in court docket on the identical fees in July. Handing down the sentence, the choose famous, “no person is above the regulation”.