Judge Nicholas Hilliard says he will hear the anti-Islam activist’s case next week
Tommy Robinson will face a fresh contempt of court hearing next week, a judge has said.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, will have his case heard at the Old Bailey on Tuesday and was not present today for the 30 second long procedural hearing.
He is currently on bail after being freed on appeal in August when his contempt of court charge was quashed – judges ruled criminal proceedings against him started too quickly with a “flawed” process.
The founder of the English Defence League is accused of being in contempt by breaching strict reporting restrictions by filming outside a criminal trial in Leeds in May.
Robinson’s broadcast on Facebook was at the time judged to have potentially jeopardised the proceedings at Leeds Crown Court, by identifying jurors or the defendants’ presumption of innocence, and viewed more than 250,000 times.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC said: “This is just to indicate that I’m not referring the matter of possible contempt of court by Mr Yaxley-Lennon to the attorney general for him to consider whether or not to institute proceedings.
“I will hear the matter myself on 23 October as ordered by the court of appeal.”
‘Free Tommy Robinson’ protests sprouted across London during Robinson’s incarceration and 1,500 people have registered themselves as “interested” in a demonstration outside the Old Bailey on October 23.
Speaking after the court of appeal overturned the conviction, HOPE not Hate chief executive Nick Lowles said: “Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, to give him his actual name, remains a far-right extremist and a violent thug.
“The man’s a fraud. He’s been silent about serious sexual abusers within the English Defence League, including one man given a 17-year prison sentence this February.
“With his convictions for fraud and violence, his brawling and attempted physical intimidation against journalists and others he disagrees with, he has shown utter contempt for justice and the rule of law.
“Far from being a martyr for ‘free speech’, his are the actions of a dangerous, narcissistic extremist attempting to unite the far right around his virulent Islamophobic agenda.”
