Latest news with #StephenYaxleyLennon
Arab News
27-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
British far-right figure Tommy Robinson released from prison
LONDON: British far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been released from prison after his sentence was reduced by four months. The 42-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed for contempt of court in October. He left Woodhill prison on Tuesday after his 18-month sentence was reduced by the High Court last week. His sentence was first issued after he admitted to breaching an injunction that prevented him from repeating false allegations against Jamal Hijazi. The Syrian refugee, a schoolboy at the time of the high-profile incident in October 2018, was assaulted by a fellow student at Almondbury Community School in the English town of Huddersfield. A video clip of the assault went viral, and Robinson published false claims about Hijazi, who sued him for libel. Robinson was ordered to pay Hijazi's legal costs and £100,000 ($135,000) in damages, as well as cease repeating the false claims. Robinson admitted to breaching the injunction on 10 occasions, leading to his imprisonment. After ordering his early release last week, the High Court judge described an 'absence of contrition or remorse' from Robinson, but added: 'He has given an assurance that he will comply with the injunction in the future, that he has no intention of breaching it again, and that he is aware of the consequences of what would happen if he breached the injunction again.'
Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Times
Tommy Robinson released from prison after sentence cut by months
Tommy Robinson has been released from prison after his sentence for contempt of court was reduced by the High Court. The far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, left HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes on Tuesday after his 18-month sentence was cut by four months last week. Shortly after his release, Robinson, 42, was filmed speaking on his X account for about 20 minutes with longer hair, a bushy beard, and a rosary around his neck. JORDAN PETTITT/PA Robinson declared his intention to organise a free speech festival in London for his supporters later in the year. He was jailed in October after admitting multiple breaches of an injunction made in 2021, which barred him from repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him for libel. This included having 'published, caused, authorised or procured' Silenced, a documentary which contained libellous allegations, in May 2023. A second claim was issued in August last year concerning six further breaches, including playing the film at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square. Asked how he was feeling after his release, Robinson told supporters: 'Unfortunately, in a country that doesn't believe in free speech, being a citizen journalist … this place [prison] is an occupational hazard.' He claimed he had 'faced relentless attacks from the British state, wielding lawfare as a weapon in order to silence me'. Robinson said attempts to censor him over the years had not worked, and thanked Elon Musk because 'if we didn't have X, everyone would just think I lied'. In the ruling which reduced Robinson's sentence, Mr Justice Johnson said he displayed an 'absence of contrition or remorse' but had shown a 'change in attitude'. The judge said: 'He has given an assurance that he will comply with the injunction in the future, that he has no intention of breaching it again, and that he is aware of the consequences of what would happen if he breached the injunction again.' The decision to release Robinson early came after he lost a legal battle over the length of his sentence in April. Three senior judges at the Court of Appeal — including the lady chief justice, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill — found there was 'no reasonable basis' to alter the prison term.
Sky News
27-05-2025
- General
- Sky News
Tommy Robinson released early from prison after sentence reduced
Tommy Robinson has been released early from his 18-month jail term for the offence of contempt of court. The far-right political activist, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had his sentence cut by four months at the High Court last week. He was originally due to be released on 26 July. The 42-year-old was jailed in October last year after admitting breaching a 2021 High Court order banning him from repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him for libel. Speaking outside prison, looking visibly different with longer hair and a bushy beard, he thanked Elon Musk, who had been a vocal supporter of his. Robinson's sentence was made up of a 14-month "punitive" element and a four-month "coercive" element, with sentencing judge Mr Justice Johnson telling him he could have the latter taken off his sentence if he were to "purge" his contempt by taking steps to comply with the injunction. He applied to purge his contempt at a hearing on 20 May, with his lawyers telling the court he had shown "commitment" to comply with the order. Lawyers for the Solicitor General agreed Robinson had taken steps to adhere to the injunction. In a ruling, Mr Justice Johnson said while there was an "absence of contrition or remorse" from Robinson, he had shown a "change in attitude" since he was sentenced. He said: "He [Robinson] has given an assurance that he will comply with the injunction in the future, that he has no intention of breaching it again, and that he is aware of the consequences of what would happen if he breached the injunction again." He continued: "I consider it appropriate to grant the application." Robinson said he will organise a free speech festival for supporters later this year. In a separate case, he is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 5 June accused of harassing two journalists. Robinson was charged with two counts of harassment causing fear of violence between 5 August and 7, 2024. In addition, he is facing a trial in October next year over an accusation that he failed to provide the pin for his mobile phone when stopped by Kent Police in Folkestone in July 2024
BreakingNews.ie
27-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Far-right activist known as Tommy Robinson leaves jail after sentence reduced
Anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, widely known as Tommy Robinson, has been released from prison in England after serving a jail term for the civil offence of contempt of court. The 42-year-old left HMP Woodhill on Tuesday after his 18-month sentence was reduced by four months at the High Court in London last week. Advertisement He was filmed speaking on his X social media channel for around 20 minutes with longer hair and a bushy beard, and wearing a rosary around his neck. Robinson said he will organise a free speech festival in London for supporters later in the year. Robinson was filmed with longer hair and a bushy beard on his release from prison (@TRobinsonNewEra/X/PA) The activist was jailed in October after admitting multiple breaches of an injunction made in 2021, which barred him from repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him for libel. World Starmer to condemn Reform UK's 'dangerous right-wi... Read More He is currently facing two further, separate court cases, and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on June 5th accused of harassing two journalists. Advertisement Robinson was charged with two counts of harassment causing fear of violence between August 5th and 7th, 2024. He is also facing a separate trial in October next year over an accusation that he failed to provide the Pin for his mobile phone when stopped by police in Folkestone, southern England, in July 2024.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Tommy Robinson released from prison
Tommy Robinson, the far-Right activist, has been released from prison after serving a jail term for the civil offence of contempt of court. The 42-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, left HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes on Tuesday after his 18-month sentence was reduced by four months at the High Court last week. He was filmed speaking on his X social media channel for around 20 minutes. He had longer hair than previously, and a bushy beard, and was wearing a rosary around his neck. Robinson said that he will organise a free speech festival in London for supporters later in the year. He was jailed in October after admitting multiple breaches of an injunction made in 2021, which barred him from repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee schoolboy who had successfully sued him for libel. Silenced, Robinson's film about the case, was pinned to the top of his profile on X throughout his imprisonment, but has now been taken down. He is currently facing two further, separate court cases, and is due to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on June 5 accused of harassing two journalists. Robinson is charged with two counts of harassment causing fear of violence between August 5 and 7 2024. He is also facing a separate trial in October next year over an accusation that he failed to provide the Pin for his mobile phone when stopped by Kent Police in Folkestone in July 2024.
