Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the political activist known as Tommy Robinson, has begun a five-day trial at Southwark Crown Court on charges of harassing and intimidating two Daily Mail journalists in the months following the Southport riots in 2024. According to BBC News, the 43-year-old from Bedfordshire faces two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber.
Prosecutor Ben Holt told the court that the case centred on Yaxley-Lennon's response to what he viewed as an unwanted intrusion into his private holiday. The defendant, who founded the English Defence League, entered not guilty pleas to both charges in July of the previous year. Mr Justice Cavanagh instructed the jury of nine women and three men that the trial was not an assessment of the defendant's political beliefs.
Holt characterised Yaxley-Lennon as a prominent public figure commanding a substantial online presence, with more than two million followers on the social media platform X. Following the murders of three young girls in Southport, Yaxley-Lennon posted multiple messages on social media that revealed his location in Cyprus to the Daily Mail and Mail Online. The newspaper subsequently published articles featuring photographs of him, including one depicting him relaxing on a sunbed while using his mobile phone.
In response to these articles, Yaxley-Lennon posted a series of messages on X beginning on 4 August. One stated:
The daily mail have purposely gave the location of where I am with my children knowing full well that people want to kill me.Another read:
The daily mail have purposely doxed the exact location of my family. How can they be allowed to do this.The court was informed that no identifiable photographs of Yaxley-Lennon's children appeared in either the Daily Mail or Mail Online.
What allegations does the prosecution make?
Holt accused Yaxley-Lennon of employing what he termed "bully-boy tactics" to intimidate the journalists. The Gazette reported that prosecutors alleged Robinson sent photographers to the reporters' homes and circulated images of their residences on X to his millions of followers. The prosecution contended that his supporters subsequently threatened the journalists, with some reportedly leaving their homes or arranging additional security measures.
On 5 August, Dirnhuber received multiple direct messages from Robinson/Yaxley-Lennon. These included the statements "you have endangered my children", "I'll be knocking at your door," and "let your bosses know I'm coming to all of your houses". According to The Gazette, the charges also encompass an alleged phone call to Andrew Young on 5 August 2024 in which Robinson allegedly stated, "I'm coming to get you."
What is the defendant's position?
The jury was instructed that Yaxley-Lennon's defence rests on the assertion that his family had been endangered by the Daily Mail's actions and that he had acted to safeguard them. He posted on X:
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.The Gazette noted that the prosecution said Robinson's defence is that he acted reasonably to protect his family, which he believed the Daily Mail had put in danger.
What is the broader context?
This trial follows a pattern of legal difficulties for Yaxley-Lennon. In June 2026, he was detained by police at Heathrow upon returning from Russia, with his phones seized under counter-terrorism laws amid concerns over hostile state activity. In July 2026, he admitted falsely accusing UK father Quoroum Beg of filming children in a Glasgow park during anti-immigration protests, an accusation that left Beg fearing for his safety after being labelled an "invader" and receiving threats.
What happens next?
The trial is expected to continue for five days at Southwark Crown Court. The proceedings will determine whether the jury finds the prosecution's allegations of harassment causing fear of violence to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
