LONDON: A UK judge on Monday jailed prominent far-right figure Tommy Robinson for 18 months after he admitted committing contempt of court over a long-running libel case involving a Syrian refugee.
The sentence is the latest jail term for one of Britain’s most prominent anti-Muslim activists, who is accused of helping fuel anti-immigration riots earlier this year.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted to breaching a 2021 High Court order, which barred him from repeating defamatory allegations against the refugee.
The sentence was delivered by Judge Jeremy Johnson at Woolwich Crown Court, who condemned Robinson’s actions as a “planned, deliberate, direct, flagrant breach of the court’s orders.” The judge stated, “Nobody is above the law. Nobody can pick and choose which injunctions they obey and those they do not. It is in the interests of the whole community that injunctions are obeyed.”
Robinson, 41, appeared in court wearing a grey suit without a tie, as supporters observed the proceedings. He turned himself in to police on Friday after a warrant was issued due to his failure to attend a previous hearing in July. His lawyers claimed he had returned to court because of his “principles,” though he faced criticism for his attempts to undermine the judiciary.
The Solicitor General’s office, which pursued the case, argued that Robinson had been “thumbing his nose at the court,” accusing him of undermining the rule of law by helping to publish a film titled Silenced containing libelous allegations.
READ ALSO: Iran Guards Head Warns Israel of ‘Bitter Consequences’ Following Strike: Media
The film remains prominently displayed on his X (formerly Twitter) profile, where he has amassed a large following for his anti-immigrant views.
Robinson has previously served jail time for contempt of court and has a history of convictions, including for assault. Known for stoking anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment, he is considered a central figure in recent anti-immigration riots in England and Northern Ireland.
In July and August, demonstrators at these protests were heard chanting his name, fueled by false claims that a Muslim asylum seeker was behind the recent fatal stabbings of three young girls.
