Tommy Robinson, the political activist known for his controversial social media presence, admitted under oath that he paid private investigators to locate and photograph two journalists who had exposed his location during a period of civil unrest.
The admission, made at Southwark Crown Court, lands with particular weight given the context: it was August 2024, when riots erupted in England following the tragic murders of three girls in Southport. Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently facing two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber of the *Daily Mail*. He denies the charges. He claims his actions were a reaction to what he perceived as a dangerous breach of privacy, not an attempt to threaten. The jury now holds the power to decide whether his interpretation of “reasonable” behavior crosses the line into criminal intimidation.
The Cyprus Panic
Robinson testified that he was on holiday at the Atlantica Mare resort in Cyprus with his ex-wife, three children, and three other families. He described a tightrope walk of secrecy, claiming he had kept his family’s location hidden for 17 years by traveling in separate cars. When the *Daily Mail* published a story accusing him of “stoking race riots from his sunbed,” the calm shattered.
“I’m scared because the Mail Online is the biggest publication in the world,” he told the court.
He argued that the article provided enough detail for the public to pinpoint his whereabouts, including an image of his ex-wife. Robinson stated he believed this exposure would “change her life forever.” He testified that his 12-year-old daughter had received rape threats and that his ex-wife had previously been targeted with an acid attack threat. For Robinson, the decision to hire detectives was not an attack; it was a defensive maneuver to force the removal of what he saw as compromising imagery.
“You’re Not Going to Get Away With This”
The defense narrative relies heavily on the idea of escalation. Robinson claimed he attempted to contact the editor-in-chief of the *Daily Mail* to request the removal of his ex-wife’s photo but received no answer. Frustrated, he turned to private investigators to obtain the contact details of the specific reporters involved.
He revealed that he called Andrew Young, the reporter who had tracked him down in Cyprus. “I said: ‘You’re not going to get away from this problem… You’ve endangered my children’,” Robinson recounted. He stated his goal was to find the journalists and ask them, on camera, to explain their narrative. He also instructed the investigators to obtain pictures of the reporters and their family members, a detail that prosecutors are likely to highlight as evidence of intent to harass.
The Reporters’ Fear
The testimony from the alleged victims paints a starkly different picture of threat. Andrew Young testified that the situation became so precarious that he was forced to retain private security. This was after Robinson posted images of Young’s former wife and daughter on X, with their faces cropped out but their general location near their home still discernible.
Jacob Dirnhuber’s experience was equally disturbing. In a statement read to the jury, Dirnhuber described leaving his home for a week after Robinson published a photograph of him outside his residence on social media. Dirnhuber said he feared a “vigilante attack,” a fear he argued was reasonable given the inflammatory nature of Robinson’s posts and the broader climate of online radicalization.
Humiliation vs. Violence
Under cross-examination by prosecutor Ben Holt, Robinson maintained that he did not publish exact addresses or unedited images of the journalists’ families. He argued he was trying to “bring the Daily Mail to the table” and claimed he was unaware that the reporters were in genuine fear for their safety.
“That wasn’t my intention at all,” Robinson insisted.
Holt pushed back hard. “They’re scared of you, Mr. Lennon.”
Robinson offered a distinction that may not satisfy the jury. “They’re not scared of physical violence, they’re scared of humiliation,” he replied. Whether the court accepts that nuance, or views the systematic tracking and posting of family locations as a form of violence in itself, remains the central question. The tears Robinson wiped from his eyes during testimony added a human element to a case defined by digital aggression.
The Verdict Looms
The trial continues, with more witnesses expected to take the stand. The next major development will come when the jury is asked to deliberate on whether Robinson’s actions met the legal threshold for harassment causing fear of violence. A conviction could result in a significant prison sentence, further cementing his status as a polarizing figure in UK politics. The outcome will also send a strong signal about the boundaries of press freedom and the safety of journalists in an era of hyper-connected vigilantism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges is Tommy Robinson facing?
He is facing two charges of harassment causing fear of violence against Daily Mail reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber. The prosecution alleges that his posts, messages, and calls made the journalists fear the risk of physical harm.
Why were the reporters investigating Robinson in Cyprus?
The reporters were investigating allegations that Robinson was using social media to incite or stoke the riots that took place in England in August 2024 following the Southport attacks. They published a story locating him at a resort in Cyprus.
Source: BBC UK
This article was compiled by the IndiaBBCNews editorial system from verified international news sources. Facts have been independently reviewed. Original reporting: BBC UK.
