LONDON -- Far-right British activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, widely known as Tommy Robinson, was found guilty Wednesday of harassing two journalists and causing them to fear they would be subjected to violence. A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London delivered a 10-2 majority verdict on the two charges.
Prosecutors argued that the 43-year-old acted as a "bully" after freelance reporter Andrew Young and Daily Mail editor Jacob Dirnhuber felt compelled to increase security or leave their homes due to concerns about vigilante attacks. Yaxley-Lennon, whose defense was reportedly funded by Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, called the verdicts "insane" on social media.
Jurors were told that Yaxley-Lennon's actions were a retaliation following a Daily Mail story published in August 2024. The story reported on his alleged involvement in inciting riots during unrest in the United Kingdom while he was on holiday in Cyprus. The unrest followed the murders of three girls in Southport.
Yaxley-Lennon had posted criticism on his X account about Young and Dirnhuber after the Daily Mail published its report. He also hired private investigators to locate the home addresses of the journalists and the editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail, Ted Verity. During a phone call with Young on August 5, 2024, Yaxley-Lennon reportedly made menacing remarks, including, "I'm coming to get you."
The Daily Mail stated that Yaxley-Lennon's conduct was "reprehensible and had grave consequences for our reporters and their families."
Justice John Cavanagh granted Yaxley-Lennon bail pending a sentencing hearing scheduled for December 16. Yaxley-Lennon has a prior history of convictions, including assault, mortgage fraud, and contempt of court. He founded the nationalist group English Defence League in 2009 and has remained an influential far-right figure in Britain.