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As it happenedended

Tommy Robinson case - live: EDL founder's supporters attack journalists after he is jailed for contempt of court

Live updates from Old Bailey hearing

Peter Stubley
Thursday 11 July 2019 10:17 EDT
Tommy Robinson enters the Old Bailey ahead of sentencing

Tommy Robinson has been sent back to prison for encouraging ”vigilante action” against defendants in a grooming gang trial during a video livestreamed on Facebook.

The founder of the English Defence League was found in contempt of court last week over the film, which breached reporting restrictions on the case in Leeds in May 2018 and came close to collapsing the case against the guilty men.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was originally jailed for 13 months last year but was freed on appeal.

Appearing at the Old Bailey today, he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, reduced to 19 weeks because of time already served. The maximum sentence available to the judges was two years' imprisonment.

Follow live updates from court in our liveblog below

Robinson's supporters have apparently decided to march on parliament in protest at the sentencing, with a brief stop outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 12:27

More on that protest march:

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 12:34

Some reaction from campaigners at Stand Up to Racism:

Lord Peter Hain: "Tommy Robinson has made a grubby career out of the English Defence League with its proven record of racist, Islamophobic and antisemitic violence, intimidation and hatred."

Weyman Bennett, joint convenor of Stand Up to Racism, said

"Tommy Robinson' - a former BNP member who then led the EDL is all about stirring up racial hatred. He is a friend of racists the world wide. This is not his first conviction, he was sent to prison for fraud previously. The world is better with him locked up, but there must continue to be a determined fight against racism, Islamophobia and Antisemitism."

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 12:37

Traffic jam at Westminster as protest continues.

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:10

Supporters chanting “We want Tommy out” and “Soubry is a Nazi”

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:15

Protesters blocking road outside parliament. Police check entry gates are locked.

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:20

Man with loudspeaker makes a forgettable speech and asks crowd to spread across Parliament Square so they will make the news.

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:24

Another man, presumably jokingly, shouts “Hang the judge”.

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:26

Man with shirt and jacket pulled apart to expose chest and beer belly misleadingly explains the Tommy Robinson case to passing tourists.

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:31

The marchers move past Parliament Square because another campaign group are on the grass. They stop at Westminster Abbey. A bagpiper appears from nowhere and begins to play

Peter Stubley11 July 2019 13:36

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