Tommy Robinson found guilty of harassing two Daily Mail journalists

As of 12:57 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026

A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday found activist Tommy Robinson guilty of two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists, the BBC and Reuters reported.

Robinson, 43, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was convicted by a 10-2 majority, Reuters reported. He was granted bail ahead of sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 16, according to the BBC. Harassment causing fear of violence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, or up to 14 years if the offence is racially or religiously aggravated, the BBC reported.

The case concerned Robinson's response to Daily Mail and MailOnline articles from August 2024 that showed him on holiday in Cyprus while riots took place in England after the murders of three girls in Southport, the BBC reported. The court had heard that he used "bully-boy, intimidatory tactics" to frighten two reporters, forcing them to employ security or leave home, according to the BBC.

After the verdicts, Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said Robinson had "weaponised social media and subjected two journalists to a campaign of harassment which caused them serious fear of violence," the BBC reported.

Robinson's defence

Robinson had denied the charges. He told the jury he had "panicked" and felt the Daily Mail's article had "endangered" his family by revealing where they were staying, the BBC reported. He admitted hiring private investigators to photograph the journalists' home addresses and said he had wanted to "put pressure on them," but told the jury he had not known they were "in fear," according to the BBC. Reuters reported that Robinson said he had only intended to pressure the journalists and the newspaper to remove a picture of his ex-wife from its website.

The court heard that Robinson told one of the reporters in a phone call on Aug. 5, 2024, "I'm coming to get you," the BBC reported.

Robinson said before the trial that X owner Elon Musk was supporting his defence, Reuters reported.