Far-right political activist Tommy Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — is set to be released from prison within days, following a High Court ruling that reduced his sentence for contempt of court.
Robinson, 41, was jailed for 18 months in October 2024 after admitting to breaching a 2021 High Court order that prohibited him from repeating false claims about a Syrian refugee, who previously won a libel case against him.
Sentence Reduction and Legal Context
His sentence included:
- A 14-month punitive term, and
- A four-month coercive term, aimed at pressuring Robinson into compliance with the injunction.
At a recent hearing, Robinson applied to purge his contempt, with his legal team arguing that he had demonstrated a willingness to comply with the original court order.
Lawyers representing the Solicitor General agreed that Robinson had taken appropriate steps to adhere to the terms of the injunction.
Judge’s Ruling
Mr Justice Johnson, who presided over the application, noted that while Robinson displayed an “absence of contrition or remorse,” he had ceased breaching the injunction since sentencing and had issued assurances of future compliance.
“He (Robinson) has given an assurance that he will comply with the injunction in the future, that he has no intention of breaching it again, and that he is aware of the consequences of what would happen if he breached the injunction again,” said Justice Johnson.
The judge concluded that it was “appropriate to grant the application,” effectively removing the coercive four-month portion of the sentence.
Expected Release
The practical effect of the ruling means Robinson is now expected to be released from prison later this week, pending final confirmation by prison authorities. His original release date was July 26, but this has now been brought forward.
