TOMMY GUILTY
Tommy Robinson supporters face off with cops as he’s found guilty of contempt for live streaming trial
TOMMY Robinson fans faced off with cops after he was found in contempt of court at a hearing at the Old Bailey today.
Officers armed with batons went up against crowds of fuming supporters who lobbed beer cans, street signs and traffic cones outside court.
12
12
The former English Defence League leader was met by calls of "Oh Tommy, Tommy" this morning as he nervously rubbed his face.
This afternoon he was found to have committed contempt of court by filming defendants in a criminal trial.
Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting at the Old Bailey with Mr Justice Warby, found him in contempt when he filmed defendants accused of the sexual exploitation of young girls and live-streaming the footage, in breach of a reporting ban, outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018.
Robinson, wearing a blue jacket, blue shirt and jeans, showed little reaction as the judge announced the decision.
FUMING FANS
In the street outside court there was anger from Robinson supporters as the verdict filtered through.
The former EDL man addressed the crowd saying the verdict was wrong.
He repeated his claims the decision will have a negative impact on press freedom, and told fans: "I've been convicted 'cos of who I am, not what I've done."
Issuing a message to followers on his Telegram social media account, he also wrote: "This is the biggest political stitch up we have ever seen.
"So every single journalist that photographed Tommy going into this court - are they going to be in the Old Bailey and getting guilty of contempt of court?
"British justice system and the establishment stinks."
Despite Robinson's claims, it is not illegal for journalists to take photographs of defendants outside of court, unless a reporting restriction is in place.
A small number of supporters marched towards the front of the Old Bailey's entrance, to barriers sectioning off police from the public.
The crowd began chanting "shame on you" as they pointed at the court.
Robinson was surrounded by journalists and security as he left the court.
A couple of his supporters sprang from the main group to film journalists, calling them scum.
FACING PRISON
In the hearing yesterday Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - said he thought he'd been put in jail to be killed, he said he had "given up" as he didn't believe he would be released.
After the prosecutor dubbed him "reckless" he told the court he had legal training and "erred on the side of caution".
Robinson, from Luton, Bedfordshire, could be sent back to jail for up to two years.
The 36-year-old was jailed for 13 months in May 2018 after he filmed people involved in a criminal trial at Leeds Crown Court and broadcast the footage on social media.
His previous jail time included a three-month suspended sentence for contempt at Canterbury Crown Court in May 2017.
But he was freed following the Court of Appeal's decision to quash the finding of contempt made in Leeds.
The case was referred back to the Attorney General, who announced in March that it was in the public interest to bring fresh proceedings against Robinson.
Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Warby gave permission for a hearing in May.
Yesterday and today, High Court judges heard the new application by the Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC to send Robinson to prison.
During the hearing at the Old Bailey in June, Andrew Caldecott QC said the Attorney General considers Robinson's conduct during the Leeds Crown Court trial to be of "great concern".
He told the court that in one part of the broadcast, Robinson said of a defendant: "Harass him, find him, go knock on his door, follow him, see where he works, see what he's doing."
MOST READ IN NEWS
Mr Caldecott said Robinson also discussed how his video would be shared and "hopefully millions" of people would see it.
Yesterday Robinson told the court: "I didn't talk about the first trial, I didn't talk about details".
He added: "I didn't report on the proceedings, I simply reported public information."
Tommy Robinson arrives for contempt of court retrial
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
Tommy Robinson guilty of contempt of court for Facebook Live broadcast outside sexual grooming trial at Leeds Crown Court
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.