Tommy Robinson 'reckless' to broadcast outside court Ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson's Facebook Live broadcast of defendants in a criminal trial was "subjectively reckless", High Court judges have been told. Mr Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of committing contempt of court by filming defendants accused of sexual exploitation. The hour-long broadcast, at Leeds Crown Court in May 2018, was seen by around 10,000 people, the Old Bailey heard. Mr Robinson denies the allegations. Lawyers for Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC said reporting restrictions had been put in place postponing the publication of any details of the case until the end of a series of linked trials involving 29 defendants. Mr Robinson broadcast the footage from outside Leeds Crown Court on 25 May 2018, while the jury in the second trial was considering its verdict. Outlining the prosecution case, Andrew Caldecott QC told the court there were "inconsistencies" between various accounts Mr Robinson had given of his efforts to check about reporting restrictions before the broadcast. Mr Caldecott said: "He was at court, he could have ascertained its terms with ease, either on the day or earlier, and it was a wholly unreasonable risk to speculate as to what the terms were, or might be, and that subjective recklessness is enough. "Even if he did not know for certain the terms of the order he knew the existence of such an order was likely and again was subjectively reckless." "He went outside he accosted various of the defendants and live-streamed on his iPhone the encounters."
Tommy Robinson broadcast outside court 'reckless'
Tommy Robinson 'reckless' to broadcast outside court Ex-English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson's Facebook Live broadcast of defendants in a criminal trial was "subjectively reckless", High Court judges have been told. Mr Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of committing contempt of court by filming defendants accused of sexual exploitation. The hour-long broadcast, at Leeds Crown Court in May 2018, was seen by around 10,000 people, the Old Bailey heard. Mr Robinson denies the allegations. Lawyers for Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC said reporting restrictions had been put in place postponing the publication of any details of the case until the end of a series of linked trials involving 29 defendants. Mr Robinson broadcast the footage from outside Leeds Crown Court on 25 May 2018, while the jury in the second trial was considering its verdict. Outlining the prosecution case, Andrew Caldecott QC told the court there were "inconsistencies" between various accounts Mr Robinson had given of his efforts to check about reporting restrictions before the broadcast. Mr Caldecott said: "He was at court, he could have ascertained its terms with ease, either on the day or earlier, and it was a wholly unreasonable risk to speculate as to what the terms were, or might be, and that subjective recklessness is enough. "Even if he did not know for certain the terms of the order he knew the existence of such an order was likely and again was subjectively reckless." "He went outside he accosted various of the defendants and live-streamed on his iPhone the encounters."
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