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| Tommy Robinson guilty over Facebook broadcast | Tommy Robinson guilty over Facebook broadcast |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson has been found in contempt of court for his Facebook Live broadcast of defendants in a criminal trial. | Ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson has been found in contempt of court for his Facebook Live broadcast of defendants in a criminal trial. |
| He was found guilty of interfering with the trial of a sexual grooming gang at Leeds Crown Court in May 2018. | He was found guilty of interfering with the trial of a sexual grooming gang at Leeds Crown Court in May 2018. |
| Two High Court judges found his conduct "amounted to a serious interference with the administration of justice". | |
| The court ruled that the 36-year-old, from Luton, committed contempt by breaking reporting restrictions. | The court ruled that the 36-year-old, from Luton, committed contempt by breaking reporting restrictions. |
| Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had denied any wrongdoing, saying he had only referred to information that was already in the public domain. | Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had denied any wrongdoing, saying he had only referred to information that was already in the public domain. |
| Following the verdict at the Old Bailey, he told the BBC he had been convicted "for who I am, not what I have done". | |
| One of the senior judges, Dame Victoria Sharp, said the court will consider what penalty to impose for the contempt - which carries a maximum penalty of two years - and give full reasons for the decision at a later date. | One of the senior judges, Dame Victoria Sharp, said the court will consider what penalty to impose for the contempt - which carries a maximum penalty of two years - and give full reasons for the decision at a later date. |
| She said Robinson breached the reporting restriction imposed on the trial by live-streaming a video from outside the public entrance to the court and by "aggressively confronting and filming" some of the defendants. | |
| The judge said the content of the video "gave rise to a substantial risk that the course of justice in that case would be seriously impeded" and the confrontation of the defendants was a direct interference with the course of justice. | The judge said the content of the video "gave rise to a substantial risk that the course of justice in that case would be seriously impeded" and the confrontation of the defendants was a direct interference with the course of justice. |
| What is contempt of court? | What is contempt of court? |
| Contempt of court laws exist to ensure people get fair trials. The idea is that juries must not be influenced by anything but the evidence they hear in court. | Contempt of court laws exist to ensure people get fair trials. The idea is that juries must not be influenced by anything but the evidence they hear in court. |
| The rules apply to everyone from journalists to people posting comments on social media, and even jurors. | The rules apply to everyone from journalists to people posting comments on social media, and even jurors. |
| If someone interferes with a trial, the defendants can walk free and a new trial may have to be held. | If someone interferes with a trial, the defendants can walk free and a new trial may have to be held. |
| The maximum sentence for contempt of court is two years in prison, but it can also be punished with an unlimited fine. | The maximum sentence for contempt of court is two years in prison, but it can also be punished with an unlimited fine. |
| Contempt includes publishing anything that creates a substantial risk of seriously prejudicing "active" criminal proceedings. Proceedings become "active" when a suspect is arrested. | Contempt includes publishing anything that creates a substantial risk of seriously prejudicing "active" criminal proceedings. Proceedings become "active" when a suspect is arrested. |
| Someone could also be in contempt by actions including taking photographs or film, recording what is said in court or talking to a jury member about a case. | Someone could also be in contempt by actions including taking photographs or film, recording what is said in court or talking to a jury member about a case. |
| Read more from Clive | Read more from Clive |
| Reporting restrictions had been put in place postponing the publication of any details of the 2018 case at Leeds Crown Court until the end of a series of linked trials involving 29 defendants. | Reporting restrictions had been put in place postponing the publication of any details of the 2018 case at Leeds Crown Court until the end of a series of linked trials involving 29 defendants. |
| Robinson broadcast the footage from outside the court on 25 May 2018, while the jury in the second trial of the series was considering its verdict. | |
| The video lasted an hour-and-a-half and was viewed online 250,000 times after being live-streamed on Facebook. | |
| He was originally jailed for 13 months on the day of the broadcast but was released two months into his sentence after winning an appeal. | He was originally jailed for 13 months on the day of the broadcast but was released two months into his sentence after winning an appeal. |
| The case was then referred back to Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, who announced in March that it was in the public interest to bring fresh proceedings. | The case was then referred back to Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, who announced in March that it was in the public interest to bring fresh proceedings. |
| Speaking after the latest verdict, Mr Cox said the court's decision reflected the seriousness of posting online material which risks prejudicing legal proceedings. | Speaking after the latest verdict, Mr Cox said the court's decision reflected the seriousness of posting online material which risks prejudicing legal proceedings. |
| "I would urge everyone to think carefully about whether their social media posts could amount to contempt of court," he added. | "I would urge everyone to think carefully about whether their social media posts could amount to contempt of court," he added. |
| A provisional date of 11 July was given for Robinson's sentencing hearing. | A provisional date of 11 July was given for Robinson's sentencing hearing. |