Challenges in the Life of Tommy Robinson in a Detailed Timeline

Life is full of challenges, and Tommy Robinson faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, is a British far-right, anti-Islam activist. He co-founded and led the English Defence League (EDL) from 2009 to 2013. He is considered a prominent far-right figure in the UK.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1981: Breach of Contempt of Court Act

In May 2018, Tommy Robinson breached a temporary section 4 (2) order under the Contempt of Court Act 1981. It was stated that if a retrial had to be held as a result of his actions the cost could be "hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds".

2003: Qualified as aircraft engineer and lost job

In 2003, Tommy Robinson qualified as an aircraft engineer after five years of study, but lost his job when he was convicted of assaulting an off-duty police officer.

July 2004: Assault on police officer

In July 2004, Tommy Robinson assaulted an off-duty police constable who had intervened in an argument between Robinson and his girlfriend, Jenna Vowles. Robinson kicked the officer in the head as he lay on the ground.

April 2005: Convicted of assault

In April 2005, at Luton Crown Court, Tommy Robinson was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault with intent to resist arrest. He received concurrent sentences of 12 months and 3 months.

2005: Conviction for assault

In 2005, Tommy Robinson was convicted for assault and served a custodial sentence.

2005: Served Prison terms

Tommy Robinson has a history of criminal convictions, including for crimes such as assault, threats, harassment, and fraud, as well as contempt of court rulings relating to his documentaries, and has served five prison terms between 2005 and 2025.

August 2010: Led group into brawl

On 24 August 2010, Tommy Robinson led a group of Luton Town F.C. supporters into a brawl involving 100 people in Luton.

April 2011: Assaulted a man in Blackburn

On 2 April 2011, Tommy Robinson headbutted a man in Blackburn.

July 2011: Convicted of using threatening behavior

In July 2011, at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court, Tommy Robinson was convicted of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. He was sentenced to a 12-month community rehabilitation order, 150 hours of unpaid work, and given a three-year football banning order.

September 2011: Arrested for Breach of Bail Conditions

In September 2011, Tommy Robinson was arrested after an EDL demonstration in Tower Hamlets for breach of bail conditions. He began a hunger strike in HM Prison Bedford, and was later released on bail on 12 September.

September 2011: Convicted of assault for headbutting a man

In September 2011, at Preston Magistrates' Court, Tommy Robinson was convicted of assault for headbutting a man in Blackburn on 2 April 2011.

September 2011: Convicted of Common Assault

On 29 September 2011, Tommy Robinson was convicted of common assault after headbutting a fellow EDL member at a rally in Blackburn in April that year. He was sentenced to 12 weeks of imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

November 2011: Received suspended jail term

In November 2011 Tommy Robinson was given a 12-week jail term, suspended for 12 months, for assault.

November 2011: Protested FIFA Ruling

On 8 November 2011, Tommy Robinson held a protest on the rooftop of the FIFA headquarters in Zürich against FIFA's ruling that the England national football team could not wear a Remembrance poppy symbol on their shirts, and was fined £3,000 and jailed for three days.

December 2011: Robinson Reported Assault

On 22 December 2011, Tommy Robinson reported being assaulted by three men of Asian appearance after stopping his car; the motive for the attack was unclear.

2011: Convicted of Using Threatening Behaviour

In 2011, Tommy Robinson was convicted of using 'threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour' during a fight between supporters of Luton Town and Newport County in Luton the previous year and was sentenced to a 12-month community rehabilitation order with 150 hours of unpaid work and a three-year ban from attending football matches.

September 2012: Used false passport to fly to New York

In September 2012, Tommy Robinson used a passport in the name of Andrew McMaster to board a Virgin Atlantic flight from London Heathrow to New York City, as he had been banned from entering the US due to his criminal record.

October 2012: Arrested for entering the US illegally

In October 2012, Tommy Robinson was arrested and held on the charge of having entered the United States illegally.

November 2012: Charged with conspiracy to commit fraud

In November 2012, Tommy Robinson was charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by misrepresentation in relation to a mortgage application, along with five other defendants.

2012: Conviction for using false travel documents

In 2012, Tommy Robinson was convicted for using false travel documents and served a custodial sentence.

January 2013: Sentenced to imprisonment for using false passport

In January 2013, Tommy Robinson was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court for using a passport that did not belong to him.

February 2013: Released on electronic tag

On 22 February 2013, Tommy Robinson was released on an electronic tag after serving part of his sentence for using a false passport.

January 2014: Sentenced to imprisonment for mortgage fraud

In January 2014, Tommy Robinson was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment for mortgage fraud. He had pleaded guilty to two charges related to a £160,000 fraud.

June 2014: Released on licence

In June 2014 Tommy Robinson was released on licence with the terms of his early release included having no contact with the EDL until the end of his original sentence in June 2015.

October 2014: Recalled to prison

In October 2014, Tommy Robinson was recalled to prison for breaching the terms of his licence.

2014: Conviction for mortgage fraud

In 2014, Tommy Robinson was convicted for mortgage fraud and served a custodial sentence.

February 2016: Attacked After Leaving Nightclub

On 14 February 2016, Tommy Robinson was attacked and treated at a hospital after leaving a nightclub in Essex.

August 2016: Ejected From Pub In Cambridge

On 27 August 2016, Tommy Robinson and his family were ejected by police from a pub in Cambridge.

2016: Football Banning Order Imposed Then Dismissed

In 2016, Tommy Robinson traveled to France to watch UEFA Euro 2016 and demonstrated with a T-shirt and English flag ridiculing ISIL. Bedfordshire Police imposed a football banning order on him, which was later dismissed by a judge in September.

May 2017: Arrested for Contempt of Court

In May 2017, Tommy Robinson was arrested for contempt of court after attempting to film defendants in a rape trial outside Canterbury Crown Court.

May 2017: Charged and Convicted of Contempt of Court

In May 2017, Tommy Robinson was charged and convicted of contempt of court after filming inside Canterbury Crown Court and posting prejudicial statements about the defendants, who he called "Muslim child rapists", while the jury was deliberating. Judge Heather Norton stated that his actions could have derailed the trial and were not about free speech or legitimate journalism, but about ensuring justice and fairness.

June 2017: Involved in Fist Fight

Tommy Robinson was involved in a fist fight at Royal Ascot in June 2017, which led to criticism from Piers Morgan on Twitter.

May 2018: Arrested for Breach of Peace

In May 2018, Tommy Robinson was arrested for a breach of the peace while live streaming outside Leeds Crown Court during the trial of the Huddersfield grooming gang, which had reporting restrictions ordered by the judge. Following the arrest, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC issued a further reporting restriction on Robinson's case, prohibiting any reporting of it until the grooming trial was complete.

May 2018: Reporting Restriction Lifted, Jailed for Contempt

On 29 May 2018, the reporting restriction regarding Tommy Robinson was lifted. The media reported that Robinson admitted contempt of court for publishing information that could prejudice an ongoing trial and was jailed for 13 months. Judge Marson sentenced him to ten months for contempt, and his previous three-month suspended sentence was activated because of the breach. Robinson's lawyer said he felt "deep regret" after comprehending the potential consequences of his behavior.

July 2018: Lobbying Efforts and Financial Aid

In July 2018, Reuters reported that the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, lobbied the UK government on the treatment of Tommy Robinson. The Middle East Forum also lobbied the United States government and provided financial aid for rallies and legal aid, donating US$50,000 to his legal defense fund.

July 2018: Appeal Lodged

In July 2018, Tommy Robinson lodged an appeal initially against the proceedings at Leeds, and later against convictions both at Canterbury and Leeds. The Court of Appeal agreed to hear Robinson's appeal out of time because Robinson had been held in "effective solitary confinement", which had made it difficult for him to have meetings with his lawyers. The matter came before the Lord Chief Justice and two others at the Court of Appeal on 18 July 2018.

August 2018: Appeal Ruling

On 1 August 2018, the Court of Appeal issued its ruling on Tommy Robinson's appeal. The appeal against the Canterbury proceedings failed, but the appeal against the Leeds proceedings succeeded.

August 2018: Interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight

On 2 August 2018, Tommy Robinson was interviewed on Tucker Carlson Tonight, where he discussed his two months in prison. He claimed he was mistreated at HM Prison Onley and put in 'solitary confinement', which HM Prison Service rejected.

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October 2018: Invitation to Speak in US

In October 2018, Republican Party politician Paul Gosar and six other members of the US Congress invited Tommy Robinson to speak at a private meeting on 14 November 2018. The trip was to be sponsored by the Middle East Forum, which said it had provided Robinson with legal funds since his imprisonment. However, Robinson was not granted a visa for the trip.

October 2018: False Accusations Against Syrian Refugee Boy

In October 2018, after a Syrian refugee boy was assaulted in a school bullying incident, Tommy Robinson falsely accused the victim of having previously attacked two schoolgirls.

November 2018: Visa Denial

In November 2018, Tommy Robinson was denied a visa for a trip to the US, where he had been invited to speak at a private meeting sponsored by the Middle East Forum.

2018: Imprisonment and Release

In 2018, Tommy Robinson's suspended prison sentence was activated due to another contempt of court finding in Leeds. He was later released after a successful challenge to the court's sentencing procedure, and a rehearing was ordered. The contempt of court offense related to speeches or publications that could create a substantial risk of impeding or prejudicing the course of justice.

2018: US President Trump's ambassador raised imprisonment issue with the British government

In 2018, US President Trump's ambassador for international religious freedom, former Senator Sam Brownback, raised the issue of Tommy Robinson's imprisonment with the British government, and Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. tweeted in support of Robinson.

January 2019: Refugee Boy Living in Fear

In January 2019, the Syrian refugee boy said returning to Almondbury Community School was still too dangerous. He described living in fear after Tommy Robinson's postings because "there are people who hang around outside my house and video me on their phones. They call me 'little rat' if I go outside. One of my neighbours threatened me outside my house just yesterday."

February 2019: Banned From Facebook

On 26 February 2019, Facebook announced that it had banned Tommy Robinson from the service for violating its community standards and "posting material that uses dehumanizing language and calls for violence targeted at Muslims".

March 2019: Court Rejected Harassment Claims

In March 2019, Peterborough County Court rejected Tommy Robinson's claims of harassment against Cambridgeshire Constabulary and ordered him to pay £20,000 towards costs.

March 2019: Further Contempt Proceedings

In March 2019, the attorney general decided to bring further contempt proceedings against Tommy Robinson. This followed a quashed conviction by the Court of Appeal in August 2018 and a referral from the Recorder of London in October 2018. Robinson reacted by alleging this was state persecution.

May 2019: Robinson Admits to Posting Fake News, Sued for Defamation

In May 2019, after receiving a letter from lawyers representing the refugee boy's family, pointing out that the videos Tommy Robinson had posted "contain a number of false and defamatory allegations", Robinson admitted to his followers that it was fake news and said that he had been duped. On 15 May 2019, the boy's lawyer said that his client was suing Robinson for "defamatory comments" Robinson had made.

July 2019: Jailed for Nine Months

On 11 July 2019, Tommy Robinson was jailed for nine months at the Old Bailey. He described the sentence as an "absolute joke" and called for protests. Outside the court, supporters protested, leading to some violence.

July 2019: Guilty of Contempt of Court at Retrial

On 5 July 2019, Tommy Robinson was again found guilty of contempt of court at the retrial on three different grounds, including breaching the reporting restriction.

January 2021: Went to the home of journalist Lizzie Dearden

In January 2021, Tommy Robinson went to the home of the journalist Lizzie Dearden after she had asked for his comment for a story she was writing about allegations that he had misused financial donations from his supporters. He falsely accused her partner of being a paedophile and threatened to return every night.

March 2021: Robinson declared bankruptcy

In March 2021, Tommy Robinson declared bankruptcy.

March 2021: Bankruptcy filing

In March 2021, Tommy Robinson filed for bankruptcy, using the name Stephen Christopher Lennon, after incurring an estimated £1.6 million in costs following a libel trial. The official receiver was searching for concealed assets.

March 2021: Issued with interim stalking ban order

On 19 March 2021 Tommy Robinson was issued with an interim stalking ban order.

July 2021: Found Liable for Libel

On 22 July 2021, Tommy Robinson was found to have libelled the Syrian refugee boy and was ordered to pay £100,000 plus legal costs, which were understood to amount to a further £500,000. An injunction was also granted to stop Robinson from repeating the libel.

October 2021: Convicted of stalking

On 13 October 2021, Tommy Robinson was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court of stalking a couple, and was given a five-year ban from contacting them or referring to them.

January 2022: Insolvency Expert Appointed

In January 2022 an independent insolvency expert was appointed by Tommy Robinson's creditors (who, including the schoolboy and the boy's lawyers, were owed an estimated £1.5 million in legal costs) to find any assets or money that Robinson could be hiding.

June 2022: Robinson lost £100,000 in gambling

In June 2022, Tommy Robinson stated that he lost £100,000 in gambling.

June 2022: High Court statement on gambling and debt

In June 2022, at the High Court in London, Tommy Robinson said that he spent £100,000 on gambling and had suffered a "total mental breakdown" before declaring bankruptcy. He also said he owed an estimated £160,000 to HMRC.

August 2022: Fine for failing to appear at High Court

On August 1, 2022, Tommy Robinson was fined £900 for failing to appear at the High Court to answer questions over his finances and was ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.

October 2023: Lost appeal against stalking ban order

On 19 October 2023 Tommy Robinson lost his appeal against the stalking ban order, having admitted that the allegations he made about Dearden's partner were false.

July 2024: Refused to provide mobile phone PIN to police

On 28 July 2024, Tommy Robinson refused to provide his mobile phone login PIN when requested by police in Folkestone, leading to a terror-related charge.

August 2024: Harassment of Daily Mail journalists

In August 2024 Tommy Robinson was charged with harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists.

August 2024: Robinson owed creditors £2 million

In August 2024, The Times reported that Tommy Robinson owed in the region of £2 million to his creditors and was the subject of a HMRC investigation over unpaid taxes.

November 2024: Appeared in court on terror-related offence

On 13 November 2024, Tommy Robinson appeared in court charged with a terror-related offence after refusing to provide his mobile phone login PIN when requested by police in Folkestone on 28 July 2024.

March 2025: Robinson challenges prison segregation

In March 2025, Tommy Robinson challenged the Ministry of Justice's decision to segregate him from other prisoners at HM Prison Woodhill, claiming he was "terrified of the long-term consequences of the continued solitary confinement". The Ministry stated that the segregation was for his protection due to threats from other prisoners and that his isolation was "substantially more permissive".

March 2025: Trial initially expected

In March 2025, a trial was initially expected for Tommy Robinson charged with a terror-related offence.

April 2025: Appeal against prison sentence lost

In April 2025, Tommy Robinson lost an appeal against his 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, with the Court of Appeal dismissing arguments about the impact of his prison segregation on his mental health.

May 2025: Charged with harassment

On 21 May 2025, Tommy Robinson was charged with harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists in August 2024.

June 2025: Appeared in court on harassment charges

On 5 June 2025, Tommy Robinson appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, elected for a trial by jury, and was released on bail ahead of a pre-trial hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 3 July 2025.