Tommy Robinson says prison is 'making him ill' in appeal over sentence for lies about Huddersfield boy

Tommy Robinson's wants his 18-month sentence for telling lies about a Huddersfield schoolboy reduced because prison is 'making him ill'. The Court of Appeal heard on Friday, April 11 that Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is appealing to reduce his sentence since his segregation in custody is having a “demonstrable effect” on his mental health. He is expected to be released on July 26.

The 42-year-old was jailed for contempt of court in October last year after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court order issued in 2021. The order prohibited him from repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee from Huddersfield who had successfully sued him for libel. The Solicitor General is opposing the appeal, which Robinson attended via videolink from HMP Woodhill.



The ruling following the appeal today will be delivered at a later date by Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Edis and Lord Justice Warby. Last month, Robinson's attempt to bring a legal claim against the Government over his segregation in prison was unsuccessful. He claimed that his isolation at HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes, had led to a noticeable deterioration in his mental health.

His barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, told the court that Robinson suffers from ADHD and "complex post-traumatic stress disorder". These conditions, combined with his segregation in prison, are having a "demonstrable effect" on him. Mr Williamson said: "Mr Justice Johnson acknowledged that .

.. there could be an effect on Mr Yaxley-Lennon's mental health and, along with other factors, he reduced the sentence he was going to impose by one sixth, four months.

"But he did not have before him this additional factor, which in itself means that the conditions that Mr Yaxley-Lennon faces are more onerous. "He is being kept safe by the authorities in segregation, but being kept safe is making him ill, and more ill than Mr Justice Johnson could have foreseen on the basis of the information before him. "We invite this court to interfere with that order to reduce the sentence imposed.

" Leading up to the hearing on Friday, Aidan Eardley KC presented written submissions on behalf of the Solicitor General, highlighting a "punitive element" and a "coercive element" in Robinson's sentencing. The "coercive element" of four months would be removed from Robinson's sentence if he showed a willingness to comply with the injunction, as the court noted that Robinson "remains defiantly in breach of the order" and was seeking the court's "indulgence". In written submissions, it was stated that there was no evidence that the conditions of Robinson's detention were more severe than anticipated by Mr Justice Johnson.

He said: "Legally, there is no basis for arguing that conditions unforeseeably imposed by the prison authorities could found a ground of appeal." "There are no grounds for altering the sentence in this case. Get all the latest crime and court stories in Yorkshire news straight to your mobile via WhatsApp by clicking here .

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Read our privacy notice here . "(Mr Justice Johnson) was fully apprised of the risk that a further period of imprisonment in conditions restricting the appellant's ability to associate with other prisoners might have a detrimental impact on the appellant's mental health and determined the sentence accordingly." During the hearing, Mr Eardley also mentioned that Robinson acknowledged having a TV while in segregation but complained that he couldn't watch GB News on it.

Robinson twice displayed a sign to the camera, claiming that a statement from the governor of HMP Woodhill was "lies". In response, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said: "We will ignore that, thank you very much indeed." Robinson's imprisonment follows two contempt claims filed against him by the Solicitor General last year.

The initial charge accused him of "knowingly" violating a court order on four separate occasions, as evidenced by his involvement with a film titled 'Silenced', containing libellous allegations, promoted in May 2023. This film was notably attached at the forefront of Robinson's X social media profile, embellished by repeated allegations through three interviews ranging from February to June 2023. Get all the latest and breaking news in Yorkshire by signing up to our newsletter here.

A subsequent claim in August revolved around six additional infringements, including one where Robinson broadcasted the contentious film during a Trafalgar Square rally in the heart of London last summer. Mr Justice Johnson, sentencing in October, sternly reminded him that "nobody is above the law" and categorised Robinson's contravention of the injunction as "flagrant". The injunction was granted following a successful lawsuit by Jamal Hijazi, a former student who was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.

After footage of the incident went viral, Robinson made false allegations on Facebook, including claims that Mr Hijazi had attacked girls at his school, which led to the defamation case. Mr Justice Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay Mr Hijazi £100,000 in damages and cover his legal fees, as well as issuing an injunction preventing Robinson from repeating the accusations..