Tommy Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists, Jacob Dirnhuber and Andrew Young. The trial, which began earlier this week, centers around allegations that Robinson engaged in a campaign of intimidation following the publication of a Daily Mail article showing him on a sunbed in Cyprus during unrest connected to the 2024 Southampton killings.

Witness statements read in court described the impact of Robinson’s actions on the journalists and their families. Dirnhuber said he was left fearful of leaving his home, expressing concern about the possibility of a “vigilante attack” by Robinson’s supporters. He recounted how Robinson allegedly posted pictures of him outside his residence online and sent direct messages suggesting he would visit his home. Dirnhuber and his partner reportedly relocated due to safety concerns, and he stated that the harassment had an adverse effect on his willingness to cover sensitive stories.

Similarly, Andrew Young detailed how Robinson’s harassment escalated after the journalist contacted him by phone. Young described a growing sense of menace and said he feared retaliation from Robinson’s approximately 800,000 followers on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The court heard that Young’s address was published online by an anonymous account, leading to unknown individuals appearing outside his home and that of a colleague. Young’s family reported feeling unsafe, with his daughter describing how personal images circulating online caused significant worry, including sightings of a stranger taking photographs near their residence.

Evidence presented included recordings of a voicemail left by Robinson on the Daily Mail’s editor-in-chief Ted Verity’s phone, in which Robinson claimed to have “located every” journalist at the paper and implied they and their families would be made “famous.” Robinson said he was not threatening violence but warned he would “come knocking” and demanded a conversation about the newspaper’s coverage of him. Robinson contends the Daily Mail’s reporting, including identifying the location of his hotel in Cyprus, had disrupted his children’s holiday, though no identifiable images of his children were published.

Robinson denies the charges, and his supporters were noted to have attended court during proceedings. Prosecutors allege that Robinson employed “bully-boy, intimidatory tactics” through social media posts, direct messages, and by dispatching photographers to the journalists’ homes in an attempt to intimidate them. The trial is ongoing, with further evidence expected to be presented in the coming days.