Robinson had been sentenced to 13-months in jail for contempt of court only for it to later be quashed
The judge presiding over Tommy Robinson’s contempt of court retrial has referred the case to the attorney general.
The former English Defence League-leader, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, appeared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday where Nicholas Hilliard, the recorder of London, said referring the case to the attorney general would allow for the complexities of the trial to be properly heard.
“I think it necessary to look at quite a lot of the detail of what Mr Yaxley-Lennon said in the broadcast [featuring the alleged contempt] as to come to the overall picture as to what happened,” Hilliard said.
“I’m satisfied in the light of the issues as they now appear, as they emerged from the statement of yesterday, that cross-examination of Mr Yaxley-Lennon is necessary for a proper and thorough examination and resolution of the case that is in the public interest.”
Credit: GettyRobinson had been sentenced to 13-months in jail for contempt, only for the conviction to later be quashed by the court of appeal and a retrial ordered. He has now been released on bail, pending the attorney general assessing the case.
Outside the court, around 1,000 supporters gathered with many waving Union Jack flags and chanting “we want Tommy out”, and Met Police officers manning barricades outside the Old Bailey.
Speaking to the crowd following his release, Robinson said: “The intention of this imprisonment was to prevent the public having knowledge. I want to spend the next six months travelling to towns that have been blighted by these problems. By next summer the entire world is going to learn the true extent of the rape of Britain.”
The case against 35-year-old Robinson comes after he filmed four men – later convicted of gang-raping a teenage girl – outside a court in May 2017. At the time, their trial was subject to reporting restrictions and he was handed a three-month suspended sentence for broadcasting images of the men.
He was then convicted of prejudicing a court case after against broadcasting on social media outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018. This time receiving a 13-month sentence – made up of a 10-month prison sentence along with a further three months for breaching the terms of his previous sentence suspension.
Robinson later appealed against both convictions, with three leading judges quashing the conviction and ordering a retrial. If he is found guilty again he could be sent back to jail.
