Tommy Robinson jury urged not to ‘live in a vigilante world’ when considering verdict

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jurors have been told not to “live in a vigilante world” as they consider their verdict of Tommy Robinson’s alleged harassment of two journalists. Robinson, who previously gave his name to the court as Stephen Lennon, is accused of harassing editor Jacob Dirnhuber and freelance journalist Andrew Young, causing them fear of violence, in August 2024. Following a day which saw Robinson give evidence from the witness box, closing speeches began on Friday, with prosecutor Ben Holt saying the defendant “didn’t care” how the two alleged victims felt. He continued his strong language from Monday’s prosecution opening, saying: “He just threatened people and acted like a bully,” and “he’s clearly no angel in all of this”. Mr Holt also pointed to “unpleasant” comments made by the activist’s supporters online following some of his posts, telling the jury some people who follow him are “unpredictable”. open image in gallery Tommy Robinson, who previously gave his name to the court as Stephen Lennon, is accused of harassing editor Jacob Dirnhuber and freelance journalist Andrew Young, causing them fear of violence, in August 2024 ( AP ) The prosecutor said: “They are not all wall flowers. “The defendant cannot be seriously saying, can he, that he’s not aware of this?” Defence barrister Alisdair Williamson KC said Robinson’s actions were justified because the “fear for him is real”. He told the jury: “When you judge whether what he did was reasonable, you might think that he showed some restraint. “I know what language I might use if people put my family in that position. “The fear for him is real.” Robinson previously told the jury he was “panicked and terrified” following a MailOnline story about him “stoking riots from his sunbed” while he was on holiday in Cyprus in August 2024. During his speech, Mr Holt took the jury back through a video posted on Robinson’s X account on 7 August of that year, in which he spoke about “men’s rules”, with the prosecutor also making reference to Robinson saying he “wouldn’t endanger any innocent families” but the “men on the other hand, I will find you”. open image in gallery Court artist sketch showing Tommy Robinson breaking down in tears while giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court ( PA ) Mr Holt said: “And that’s just left hanging, isn’t it?. “How does he really think they are going to feel? How does he really think Mr Dirnhuber and Mr Young are going to feel? “The answer from his own mouth is, he didn’t care.” He went on to tell jurors: “Let’s get real, shall we, and not live in a vigilante world… where men’s rules, whatever they are, apply.” Mr Williamson said the Daily Mail journalists didn’t “care” about Robinson’s issues with the article at the time, nor the stress it caused him, adding: “They don’t care to pick up the phone.” “He’s asking for dialogue,” the defence barrister said. Mr Holt said had Robinson not posted on X during his holiday, “the Daily Mail would have never gone to Cyprus”. He added: “They would have had no need… his one million followers on X would have had a quiet fortnight.” The prosecutor also said press regulator Ipso is still waiting to “hear a complaint” about the article. open image in gallery Defence barrister Alisdair Williamson KC said Robinson’s actions were justified because the “fear for him is real”. ( PA ) “It is undeniably an important consideration that he never once asked for the article to be amended in any way,” he said. “He didn’t try anything else, did he? “And to what end? To achieve what? What was he trying to achieve? “Retaliation is not a defence. “The days of eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth are long gone.” Before the closing speeches, agreed facts were also read to the court, in which jurors heard about four Osman Warnings, also known as warnings about a threat to life, that have been given to Robinson in 2018, 2019 and 2024, shortly after the Daily Mail article. The court also heard a video had been posted online on August 10, 2024 by a man named Omar Abdirizak in which the man said: “Tommy Robinson I got a message for you… we got pirates in every corner. Muslims in every corner,” before making a rifle gesture to the camera with his hand. The defendant, who founded the English Defence League, entered not guilty pleas in July last year to two charges of harassment causing fear of violence. The trial continues.