Tommy Robinson Convicted of Harassing Journalists

The case ended with Tommy Robinson convicted of harassing two journalists, after a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London found him guilty on Wednesday. The verdict is the latest criminal conviction for one of Britain’s best-known anti-immigration figures.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was convicted on two counts of harassment causing fear of violence. The jury reached its verdict by a majority of ten to two after deliberating for 11 hours and 25 minutes. The 43-year-old remains on bail and will be sentenced on December 16. He faces up to ten years in prison under British harassment law.

Tommy Robinson convicted: what the jury decided

The case concerned Robinson’s actions towards freelance reporter Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber, an editor at the Daily Mail. Prosecutors said Robinson subjected both men to a campaign of intimidation in August 2024, at a time of nationwide unrest in Britain.

The unrest followed the murders of three girls in Southport, in north-west England, on July 29, 2024. Robinson was on a family holiday in Cyprus at the time. He posted a series of messages on social media about the unfolding situation, and the Daily Mail sent Young and a photographer to the island.

The newspaper then published a story about Robinson “stoking riots from his sunbed”. Prosecutors told the court that Robinson reacted by hiring private investigators to track down the home addresses of Young and Dirnhuber, as well as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Ted Verity.

The court heard that Robinson posted a photograph of Dirnhuber outside his address on X, along with cropped images of members of Young’s family. In a telephone call on August 5, 2024, he told Young: “I’m coming to get you.” He also sent Dirnhuber a direct message saying: “I’ll be knocking at your door.”

In a video message posted on X, Robinson said he was “giving a warning” and added: “I’m not coming to beat [them] up. They know that.” The jury rejected his defence. He had told the court he panicked when the newspaper published its story, and that he feared the article had endangered his family by revealing that they were staying at a hotel near Ayia Napa.

Prosecutors described his methods as “bully-boy, intimidatory tactics”. The court heard that the two journalists feared for their safety, took security steps and, in one case, moved home. Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said after the verdict that Robinson had “weaponised social media and subjected two journalists to a campaign of harassment which caused them serious fear of violence”.

A second conviction for harassing a journalist

This is not the first time Robinson has been convicted over his treatment of a journalist. In 2023, he was handed a five-year stalking protection order after shouting abuse outside the home of Lizzie Dearden, the former home affairs correspondent of The Independent, and her partner, and threatening to return to the address repeatedly.

That history matters because it shows a pattern, not a single incident. Courts treat repeat behaviour of this kind seriously, and the earlier order was part of the background the jury heard during the trial.

Robinson already has convictions for assault, fraud and contempt of court, and has served several jail terms. His large online following has made him a prominent figure in Britain’s anti-immigration movement.

Why the case matters beyond one activist

What happens next

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Frequently asked questions

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• Dawn, “Tommy Robinson convicted of harassment” (29 October 2026): https://www.dawn.com/news/2040624
• The Times, “Tommy Robinson guilty of using ‘bully-boy tactics’ to harass journalists” (28 October 2026): https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/tommy-robinson-verdict-court-harass-journalists-jfxh0djwz
• VPNews, “Tommy Robinson Convicted of Harassing Daily Mail Journalists” (28 October 2026): https://www.vpnews.co.uk/tommy-robinson-convicted-harassing-daily-mail-journalists