🔗 Share this article

Legal representatives informed the tribunal that law enforcement maintained reasonable suspicions that Tommy Robinson's mobile contained information relevant to terrorist activities when they stopped him in the previous year as he attempted to depart from the UK.

Refusal to Give Phone Password

The right-wing campaigner, whose real name is Tommy Robinson, allegedly refused to hand over his password to police, claiming it included journalist content.” This occurred after he was stopped at the Eurotunnel on July 28, 2024.

Prosecution Arguments on Anti-Terror Authority

On the final day of the trial, state lawyer the prosecution argued that the counter-terrorism powers employed by police are intended to permit intelligence gathering. She asserted that officers had valid grounds to think Robinson still have links to right-wing groups, even after the disbandment of the English Defence League (EDL).

“Although his membership of the EDL has come to an end, his beliefs have not gone away. He is recognized for having those opinions and therefore it is a reasonable suspicion to believe that on his phone there may be information relevant to acts of terrorism,” she told the court.

Morris added, “His beliefs – to which he is entitled – were not the subject for their concern on 28 July. It was his connection to individuals who are potentially engaged in prohibited activities.”

Circumstances of the Stop

The campaigner had arrived by himself at the Eurotunnel in a silver Bentley belonging to a acquaintance and was traveling to the holiday destination of Benidorm with more than £13,000 in a carry-on, the trial was told.

The funds was said to have been from a donation drive to cover expenses from organizing a major rally that occurred the previous day in a London landmark.

Defense Submissions

The defendant, who disputes non-compliance with anti-terror laws during the encounter on July 28 last year, faces up to three months in prison or a potential £2,500 fine if convicted.

His lawyer, defense counsel, said in closing submissions that anti-terror officers who detained Robinson had engaged in a “fishing expedition” and that he had been illegally held.

Referring to evidence from police who stated they called other organizations” after arresting him, Williamson claimed this was a reference to the security services and that no evidence had been presented from MI5 to indicate his client was a terrorist.

Williamson said the police action was “discriminatory” because it was based to a “significant degree on a personal attribute.” He said that the main factor” on the decision to stop him was recognizing his identity”.

He noted that officers had used an special authority that needs to be carefully regulated” to try to find out details that was already known. Williamson proposed that Robinson traveled to the resort frequently, which ought to have lessened the police concerns about him.

Legal Costs and Judgment Timing

Robinson claimed that his legal costs in the proceedings were being paid for by Elon Musk, the proprietor of X and Tesla, who has emerged as an ally of the far-right activist and recently addressed a rally arranged by him in London via a livestream.

A proposed day of next Tuesday for the verdict was changed by the district judge, the judge, after Williamson said Robinson was due to be a invitee of the Israel's administration from the midweek and would not come back until 25 October.

{“I wouldn’t trouble you if this was a trip to Benidorm. I would ask him to rearrange it but he is a guest of a foreign government,” said the barrister.

The judge said he would hand down his verdict on the morning of 4 November.