Tommy Robinson Accused of Intimidation Tactics Against Journalists

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, told a London court that he hired private investigators to find two Daily Mail journalists at their homes. He stated his intention was to 'put pressure on them' after the newspaper published an article he felt was inaccurate.

Robinson is on trial accused of using 'bullyboy, intimidatory tactics' in retaliation for the journalists' work. He denies two charges of harassment causing fear of violence against Mail reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber.

Entering the witness box at Southwark Crown Court, Lennon, 43, identified himself as a journalist. He described his anger upon seeing a front-page photograph of himself on a sunbed in Cyprus in the summer of 2024, during riots in England. The article, he said, suggested he was 'stoking race riots from his sunbed.' He claimed he was attempting to 'calm the situation the whole time.'

The court heard that Lennon, using his Tommy Robinson account on X, had tweeted about the riots from his holiday location. The journalists, Young and Dirnhuber, had revealed this information. Lennon allegedly sent Mr. Dirnhuber a message stating, 'I'll be knocking on your door.' Following a post showing Mr. Dirnhuber outside his home, Lennon reposted it with the comment, 'Got ya,' adding, 'I got all three of you tagged & bagged in 1 day.' He is also accused of calling Mr. Young, swearing and shouting, and saying, 'I'm coming to get you.' A voicemail left on the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Mail's phone, purportedly from 'Tommy Robinson,' stated, 'I've already located every f***ing one of you.'

Lennon testified that he felt 'shocked and scared' after the Mail's article, claiming the newspaper had taken pictures of his family and revealed his hotel location, which he alleged led to groups of men looking for him. The prosecution noted that no identifiable photographs of Lennon's children were published, and that his location was revealed through his own social media posts. Lennon replied that he 'didn't realize' and 'thought they had a tracker.'

He admitted he did not ask the Mail to remove a photograph of his ex-wife, explaining he 'didn't want to draw attention to the picture.' He also stated he did not complain to the Press regulator IPSO or hire libel lawyers due to cost. Instead, he decided to hire private investigators, saying, 'I didn't see any other option.'

Video played in court showed Lennon saying, 'What is good for the goose is good for the gander,' and, 'I am giving warnings to journalists.' When questioned by prosecutor Ben Holt, Lennon denied his actions were designed to intimidate the journalists, stating, 'It's what they've done to me.' He claimed he wanted to find the journalists to 'question them on camera' and did not intend to cause harm, describing the photographs of their homes as a 'bargaining chip.' He insisted he was trying to 'pressure' them, not 'bully' them, and admitted to raising his voice on the phone due to panic and anger. The trial is ongoing.