Tommy Robinson testifies in journalist harassment trial

Political activist Tommy Robinson, appearing in court as Stephen Lennon, provided evidence at Southwark Crown Court regarding allegations of journalist harassment. Robinson testified that he felt “shocked and scared” following a Mail Online story published in August 2024 while he was on holiday in Cyprus.

Robinson admitted to hiring private investigators to locate the home addresses of freelance journalist Andrew Young and editor Jacob Dirnhuber to take photographs. He stated his intention was to “put pressure on them” and expressed a desire to question the journalists on camera. He testified that he believed posting a photo of Mr. Dirnhuber outside his home on X was “totally reasonable” under the circumstances.

During the proceedings, Robinson became emotional when asked how the news coverage had affected his children. He noted that after the story went online, his phone received a surge of messages, prompting him and his family to move to a different location within their hotel for security reasons. When questioned by his defense barrister whether he intended to expose the editor to threats of violence, Robinson replied, “Not at all. I didn’t really think about what he was being exposed to.”