Anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson will be released early from prison after a High Court judge reduced his 18-month sentence for contempt of court by four months.
At a Glance
- Tommy Robinson’s 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court was reduced by four months
- The activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed for repeatedly breaching an injunction related to false allegations against a Syrian refugee
- Robinson agreed to remove offensive content and pledged to comply with court orders in the future
- The judge noted Robinson’s “absence of contrition” but acknowledged his commitment to follow the injunction going forward
- He is expected to be released within the next week after serving approximately two-thirds of his reduced sentence
Court Decision Grants Early Release
Tommy Robinson, the controversial English activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, will be walking free from prison in the coming days after a High Court judge reduced his 18-month contempt of court sentence. Mr Justice Johnson cut Robinson’s jail term by four months after the activist demonstrated willingness to comply with a court injunction that he had previously violated multiple times. The original sentence consisted of a 14-month punitive element and a four-month coercive element, with the latter portion designed to be removed if Robinson complied with court orders.
Robinson was imprisoned after admitting to 10 breaches of an injunction that prohibited him from repeating false allegations against Jamal Hijazi, a Syrian refugee who successfully sued Robinson for libel. The activist had falsely claimed that Hijazi attacked girls at his school, leading to a £100,000 damages order against Robinson in 2021. Despite this legal defeat, Robinson continued to repeat the allegations in a film titled “Silenced” and in various interviews, triggering the contempt proceedings that eventually led to his incarceration.
Legal Representation Secures Reduced Sentence
Robinson’s attorney, Alex Di Francesco, successfully argued for the reduction in sentence after demonstrating that his client had taken concrete steps to comply with the court injunction. This included the removal of offending social media posts and other content that repeated the false allegations against Hijazi. The court acknowledged this change in behavior, despite previously denying Robinson’s attempt to have his sentence reduced in April, when he was advised to take down the accusations to potentially reduce his custody time.
“The defendant has demonstrated that commitment that Your Lordship required, both in his words and his actions,” said Alex Di Francesco, Robinson’s attorney.
While granting the reduction, Justice Johnson noted an “absence of contrition or remorse” from Robinson but acknowledged that the activist had 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.” This change in attitude was deemed sufficient to justify removing the coercive portion of his sentence.
Difficult Prison Conditions Claimed
Throughout his incarceration, Robinson has faced additional legal challenges, including unsuccessful attempts to end his segregation from other prisoners. His representatives have claimed that the segregation worsened his PTSD and overall mental health. In previous imprisonments, Robinson has reported threats from Muslim inmates that allegedly forced him to subsist on canned tuna for safety reasons. These past experiences likely made the prospect of an early release particularly welcome news for the activist.
“[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,” stated Mr Justice Johnson when announcing the reduced sentence.
Robinson’s contempt case is separate from his controversial work highlighting grooming gangs in England. Supporters have noted that some men Robinson filmed during livestreams outside court hearings, which led to previous legal issues for him, were later convicted and jailed for sexual abuse crimes. Robinson is expected to resume his activism upon release, though he will need to carefully adhere to the court injunction to avoid returning to prison to serve an even longer sentence.
