Tommy Robinson verdict ~ acquitted on terrorism charges

Ezra Levant has just twittered this excellent news on X from the public gallery of Westminster Magistrates Court

A sample of the MSM report, the London Evening Standard

Tommy Robinson has been cleared of a terror offence after refusing to give police his phone Pin when he was stopped at the border in a Bentley with thousands of pounds in cash.

Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was driving a silver Bentayga SUV to the Spanish tourist hotspot of Benidorm when he was stopped by officers at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

Police were suspicious of Robinson’s “vague replies” about what he was doing and demanded access to his iPhone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act.

The Act gives police the power to stop anyone passing through a UK port “to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.

On Tuesday, District Judge Sam Goozee found Robinson not guilty of failing to comply with the counter-terrorism powers during the incident on July 28 last year.

Robinson had faced a three-week wait for his verdict because he had a pre-planned trip to Israel.

As the two-day trial took place last month, the former English Defence League (EDL) leader said in a video posted on X that billionaire Elon Musk had “picked up the legal bill” for “this absolute state persecution”

Alisdair Williamson KC, defending, had said the stop and detention was unlawful because officers had taken a “discriminatory stance” based on their knowledge of Robinson’s views.

Mr Williamson said the officers’ intervention was discriminatory because it was based to a “significant degree on a protected characteristic”.

He said the “predominant influence” on Pc Mitchell Thorogood’s decision to stop him was “‘oh look, it’s Tommy Robinson”‘.

Mr Williamson added: “If MI5 didn’t think that Mr Lennon is a terrorist, what did Pc Thorogood think he was going to learn by asking him about publicly available information?”

He suggested Robinson travelled to Benidorm regularly, which should have lessened the officer’s suspicions about him.

The lawyer said there was “no evidence that the stop was carried out diligently or expeditiously”, and that it was a “fishing expedition” as there was nothing to link Robinson to terrorism.

Mr Goozee said: “I cannot put out of my mind that it was actually what you stood for and your political beliefs that acted as the principal reason for this stop.”

He also said Pc Mitchell Thorogood’s decision to stop Robinson was based on a “protected characteristic”, adding: “I cannot convict you.”