Tommy Robinson has lost his Court of Appeal challenge against the length of his 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, following repeated breaches of a High Court order.
The 42-year-old far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed in October last year after admitting to defying a 2021 ruling that prohibited him from restating false allegations against a Syrian refugee who had previously won a libel case against him.
Robinson was told his sentence could be reduced by four months if he removed the offending material, including the film Silenced, from his social media accounts. While he unpinned the video from the top of his X profile ahead of the appeal hearing, the court heard that the content remained online and accessible.
Aidan Eardley KC, representing the Solicitor General, said that Robinson remained in breach of the order as the film continued to be published “every time it is viewed”. He added that the opportunity to shorten the sentence remained “in his gift” if Robinson chose to comply fully with the court order.
During the hearing, Robinson’s barrister Alisdair Williamson KC argued that his client was experiencing a significant mental health decline due to segregation at Woodhill Prison. He reported that Robinson was suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder and had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in a written 15-page ruling. Judges Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Edis, and Lord Justice Warby concluded that Robinson’s prison conditions were not harsher than what the sentencing judge had anticipated. They also noted that Robinson had retained various privileges and means of communication, including email, visits, phone calls, and access to television.
The judgment stated there was no evidence to suggest a significant worsening of any medical condition or the emergence of a new one that would justify reducing the sentence.
A spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office said the sentence reflected the seriousness with which the court viewed Robinson’s repeated breaches.
This ruling marks Robinson’s second legal defeat in less than a month. A previous bid to challenge his ongoing segregation in prison was also rejected, after the court was told that intelligence suggested his life would be at risk if he were housed on a standard wing.
Court documents revealed that despite being held in a closed unit, Robinson had access to hundreds of emails, over 1,200 phone calls, and dozens of in-person visits. He was also reported to have access to a laptop for ordering meals and a television, although he had complained about the lack of access to GB News.