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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tommy Robinson: judge refers case to attorney general | Tommy Robinson: judge refers case to attorney general |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A judge retrying the anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson for contempt of court has referred the case to the attorney general. | A judge retrying the anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson for contempt of court has referred the case to the attorney general. |
| Robinson, 35, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, appeared before Nicholas Hilliard, the recorder of London, for a contempt hearing at the Old Bailey. | |
| Hilliard said the decision to refer the case to the attorney general would allow Robinson’s contempt charges to be heard in a proper adversarial setting, in which a lawyer could present evidence and question witnesses to make the case. | Hilliard said the decision to refer the case to the attorney general would allow Robinson’s contempt charges to be heard in a proper adversarial setting, in which a lawyer could present evidence and question witnesses to make the case. |
| He said he had made his decision after receiving a statement from Robinson on Monday. The court heard that in the current setting, lawyers would not be able to perform an appropriate cross-examination of the evidence. | He said he had made his decision after receiving a statement from Robinson on Monday. The court heard that in the current setting, lawyers would not be able to perform an appropriate cross-examination of the evidence. |
| “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,” the judge 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.” | “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.” |
| Robinson was released on bail. He had been serving a 13-month sentence on the same charges, until the sentence was quashed by the court of appeal and a retrial ordered. | |
| Robinson could have been sent back to jail if he had been found in contempt for filming people in a criminal trial in Leeds and broadcasting the footage on social media. | |
| The latest hearing came after Robinson appeared at the Old Bailey in September, when the case was adjourned. Among Robinson’s supporters in court was Ezra Levant, founder of the Canadian rightwing news site The Rebel Media. He brought with him several “honest journalists”, crowdfunded by supporters, to provide alternative coverage of the hearing after claims that traditional media are biased. | The latest hearing came after Robinson appeared at the Old Bailey in September, when the case was adjourned. Among Robinson’s supporters in court was Ezra Levant, founder of the Canadian rightwing news site The Rebel Media. He brought with him several “honest journalists”, crowdfunded by supporters, to provide alternative coverage of the hearing after claims that traditional media are biased. |
| Earlier, around a thousand supporters had gathered outside the Old Bailey on Tuesday. As journalists walked past to enter through the main entrance of England’s main criminal court, Robinson branded them “enemies of the people”, to roars and cheers from the crowd. | |
| Metropolitan police and their colleagues from the City of London manned barricades outside the court. England and union flags, as well those for Ukip, were flying as protesters gathered early on Tuesday morning. | |
| “We want Tommy out,” they shouted, as supporters filmed him on their phones. They patted the suited EDL founder on the back. | |
| A small group of anti-fascist campaigners faced Robinson’s supporters. | |
| After last month’s adjournment, a video appearing to show Robinson at a window within the court building was posted on Levant’s Twitter account. | |
| In the footage, Robinson says “that’s such a good feeling” before promising to go and greet the hundreds of supporters cheering and chanting outside. | |
| The video is believed to have been made in the canteen on the Old Bailey’s second floor. By the afternoon, it had been viewed more than 160,000 times. | The video is believed to have been made in the canteen on the Old Bailey’s second floor. By the afternoon, it had been viewed more than 160,000 times. |
| Section 41 of the Criminal Justice act 1925 makes it an offence to photograph people within court precincts. | |
| City of London police confirmed they were looking into whether any offences were committed at Robinson’s September court appearance. | |
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