RABBLE ROUSER
Why has Tommy Robinson been jailed and has he been arrested before?
RIGHT wing activist Tommy Robinson is no stranger to controversy and is a frequent guest at her Majesty’s courts and prisons.
Let’s take a closer look at the controversial figure's life.
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Why has Tommy Robinson been jailed?
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 36, was jailed for nine months on July 11, 2019, after being found guilty of contempt for live-streaming a video outside a child grooming trial.
He was found to have "encouraged mob rule" when he breached a reporting restriction over the case.
Robinson's sentence will see him serve about two and a half months in prison on time served as he will be released on licence after ten weeks.
Dramatic footage outside court also showed supporters letting off smoke bombs and throwing drinks across the crowds.
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Robinson had previously claimed in court he would be killed in revenge attacks if he was put behind bars.
Katie Hopkins was among those to support Robinson today, pictured hugging him before he walked inside.
It comes after Robinson's supporters faced off with cops when he was found guilty of committing contempt of court.
The two-day hearing at the Old Bailey found the 36-year-old jeopardised the grooming trial by live-streaming men accused of the sexual exploitation of young girls on Facebook, in breach of a reporting ban, outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018.
Has Tommy Robinson been arrested before?
Tommy Robinson is no stranger to brushes with the law.
Many of his convictions have been related to far right activist group English Defence League, of which he co-founded in 2009.
The group's focus was on stopping the spread of "militant Islamism".
- 2011: Robinson was convicted of using “threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour" during a 100-man fight between football supporters in Luton.
- In September, he was arrested again at an EDL demonstration in East London after being banned from attending the protest as part of his bail conditions.
- He was released before his trial, but was then convicted of common assault on September 29, after headbutting an EDL member at an event in April in Blackburn in north west England.
- Robinson was handed a 12 week sentence which was suspended for 12 months.
- In November of that year, he was arrested at Fifa headquarters in Zurich after protesting a decision to stop the England football team wearing poppies on their shirts.
- He was jailed for three days and fined £3,000.
- 2012: In October, Robinson was arrested after entering the United States illegally using another person’s passport.
- 2013: In January, he was sentenced to 10 months in jail for his passport fraud conviction.
- 2014: He was jailed for 18 months for committing mortgage fraud.
- 2017: Robinson was captured on film repeatedly punching a man in the head at Royal Ascot.
- 2018: Robinson was jailed for 13 months for contempt of court on May 25.
- On August 1, Robinson was released on bail after winning his challenge to his contempt of court conviction.
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- In September, Robinson appeared under his real name, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, to face a fresh hearing over the allegation.
- On October 9, he posed with a group of young soldiers prompting a probe from the Armed Forces.
- 2019: On February 26 Facebook announced that his official Facebook and Instagram profiles have been removed after he "repeatedly" broke their standards on "organised hate".
- July 11, he was jailed for nine months over contempt of court.
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