Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, hired an investigator
to find out information about Lizzie Dearden, the court heard. 

Tommy Robinson gets five-year stalking order after harassing journalist

This article is more than 1 month old

English Defence League founder shouted abuse at reporter’s home and threatened to keep coming back

PA MEDIA
Wednesday 13 October 2021

Tommy Robinson has been given a five-year stalking protection order after he shouted abuse outside the home of a journalist and threatened to repeatedly return to her address.

The founder of the English Defence League, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, went to the property of the Independent’s home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden and her boyfriend, Samuel Partridge, in January of this year.

Westminster magistrates court heard he stood outside Dearden’s house and shouted unsubstantiated allegations about Partridge.

The deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram said Robinson’s behaviour “crossed the line between mere harassment and stalking” at a hearing on Wednesday.

The court previously heard Robinson had hired a private investigator to find information out about Dearden after a request for comment she made, through his solicitors, on a story alleging that he misused money donated by his supporters.

Ikram said that after obtaining Dearden’s address, Robinson had arrived around 10pm, calling for her to come to the door and shouting claims that Partridge was a paedophile.

The magistrate “wholly rejected” that Robinson had attended the address to “exercise his right to reply” to the article, saying that he had been there to intimidate her and adding there was “not a shred of evidence” that the claims about Partridge were true.

“The complainant refused to come out or engage with the defendant,” he said.

“The defendant reacted by saying that he would come back to her address ‘every night’.

“In my judgment, that crosses the line in this case between mere harassment and acts associated with stalking in that he threatened to repeatedly return to her home address.

“The defendant was arrested before he could carry out his threat.

“I find that the intention of the defendant turning up at a journalist’s house at past 10pm was clear: to intimidate her.”

Ikram also rejected Robinson’s claim he had been “calm” throughout the incident, saying that it contradicted other undisputed witness accounts from neighbours.

He said: “Ms Dearden has said she felt extremely shaken, distressed and unsafe and afraid to go outside.

“The defendant clearly poses and continues to pose a risk to the complainant’s physical and psychological wellbeing.”

Robinson, who attended court in person, walked out of the courtroom part way through the hearing and did not return as the order was passed.

Under the conditions of the order Robinson is prohibited from contacting Dearden or Partridge, or attending any places where they live and work, unless specifically invited for interview.

He is also prohibited from publishing any material concerning, or making any reference to Dearden or Partridge, directly or indirectly, on any websites, on social media, or in print.

Robinson will be able to respond to the judgment and future articles written by Dearden with “legitimate comment” but without reference to his allegations against Partridge.

THE GUARDIAN