Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is standing trial at Southwark Crown Court in London on charges of harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists. Robinson denies the allegations brought by reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber, who had published an article revealing that he was tweeting about civil unrest in the UK while on holiday in Cyprus.

The case relates to events in August 2024, during a period of significant unrest in England following the murder of three schoolgirls at a dance class in Southport and the subsequent spread of false claims online about the perpetrator’s background. The Daily Mail ran a front-page story on August 5, 2024, headlined “Stoking race riots from his sunbed,” accompanied by a photograph of Robinson reclining on a lounger at a five-star resort.

Robinson testified that he was “shocked and scared” by the publication of the article, which he said had exposed his family’s location and led to threats against him. He described how security at the hotel moved his family to a different location following the story’s release. Robinson also said he had attempted to contact the Daily Mail’s editor repeatedly but was unsuccessful.

During his testimony, Robinson admitted to hiring private investigators to locate and photograph the homes of Young and Dirnhuber. He said his intention was to “put pressure on them” and to confront the journalists on camera about their reporting. Robinson denied wanting to endanger the journalists or their families, asserting that he did not publish their addresses or images online. He characterised his actions as warnings rather than threats, telling the court he was “just saying do your job” and that he was not planning any physical harm.

The prosecution presented evidence of messages Robinson allegedly sent to the reporters, including one to Dirnhuber stating, “I’ll be knocking on your door,” and a phone call to Young described as “swearing and shouting,” during which Robinson reportedly claimed to have researched Young’s family and said, “I’m coming to get you.” A voicemail left on the Daily Mail’s editor-in-chief’s mobile phone also reportedly contained threatening language.

Robinson described feeling “panicked and terrified” after the article’s publication, fearing it could irrevocably damage his wife’s life. He also said he had previously warned the newspaper of a plot to carry out an acid attack against his wife. He acknowledged making “rather intemperate” statements in the context of the unrest but insisted that his intent had been to calm tensions rather than incite violence.

The jury has been told there was no identifiable photography of Robinson’s children published alongside the article, though Robinson expressed emotional distress during the trial when questioned about his family. He conceded he had not asked the newspaper to remove a photo including his ex-wife, explaining he did not want to draw attention to it.

The trial is ongoing, with further evidence and testimony expected in the coming days.