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.
Tommy Robinson (born Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon) is a British far-right activist known for his Islamophobic views. He co-founded and led the English Defence League (EDL) from 2009 to 2013, a group widely considered far-right. He is described as one of the UK's most prominent far-right figures. His activism has been met with controversy and legal issues.
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.
2003: Qualified in Aircraft Engineering, lost job due to assault conviction
In 2003, Tommy Robinson qualified in aircraft engineering after five years of study but lost his job after being convicted of assaulting an off-duty police officer in a drunken argument, which resulted in a 12-month prison sentence.
July 2004: Assault Incident with Police Constable
In July 2004, Tommy Robinson was involved in an altercation with an off-duty police constable who intervened in an argument between Robinson and his girlfriend. During the struggle, Robinson kicked the officer in the head, leading to subsequent charges and conviction in April 2005.
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 against an off-duty police constable for an incident in July 2004.
2005: Served Prison Term
Tommy Robinson has a history of criminal convictions, and in 2005, he served one of five prison terms between 2005 and 2025.
August 2010: Involvement in Luton Brawl
In August 2010, Tommy Robinson led a group of Luton Town F.C. supporters into a brawl involving 100 people in Luton, which led to his conviction in July 2011 for using threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour.
April 2011: Assault Incident in Blackburn
On April 2, 2011, Tommy Robinson headbutted a man in Blackburn, which led to his conviction for assault in September 2011.
July 2011: Convicted of Threatening Behaviour
In July 2011, at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court, Tommy Robinson was convicted of using threatening, abusive, or insulting behavior for leading a group of Luton Town F.C. supporters into a brawl in August 2010.
September 2011: Arrested at EDL Demonstration
In September 2011, Tommy Robinson was arrested after an EDL demonstration in Tower Hamlets for breaching bail conditions. He started a hunger strike in prison, claiming to be a "political prisoner".
September 2011: Convicted of Assault for Headbutting
In September 2011, at Preston Magistrates' Court, Tommy Robinson was convicted of assault for headbutting a man in Blackburn on April 2, 2011.
September 2011: Convicted of Common Assault
On 29 September 2011, Tommy Robinson was convicted of common assault for headbutting a fellow EDL member at a rally in Blackburn in April of that year. He received a 12-week imprisonment sentence, suspended for 12 months.
November 2011: Sentenced for Assault
In November 2011, Tommy Robinson was given a 12-week jail term, suspended for 12 months, for assault.
December 2011: Reported Assault
On 22 December 2011, Tommy Robinson reported being assaulted by three men of Asian appearance after stopping his car. Bedfordshire Police stated the motive for the attack was unclear.
2011: Convicted of threatening behavior
In 2011, Tommy Robinson was convicted of using "threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour" during a fight between Luton Town and Newport County supporters. He received a 12-month community rehabilitation order, 150 hours of unpaid work, and a three-year ban from attending football matches.
September 2012: Used False Passport to Enter US
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, despite being banned from entering the US due to his criminal record. Upon arrival, he was discovered, and he subsequently left the airport, entering the US illegally.
October 2012: Arrested for Illegal Entry into the US
In October 2012, Tommy Robinson was arrested for 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.
January 2013: Sentenced for Passport Offense
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 to enter the United States illegally.
January 2014: Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud
In January 2014, Tommy Robinson was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to fraud charges related to a mortgage application. The fraud amounted to £160,000 over a period of 6 months.
October 2014: Recalled to Prison
In October 2014, Tommy Robinson was recalled to prison for breaching the terms of his licence. He was due to talk to the Oxford Union, but was imprisoned before the event.
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.
2016: Football banning order imposed and then dismissed
In 2016, after Robinson travelled 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, but a judge dismissed the case in September, calling the prosecution's evidence "vague" and "cagey".
May 2017: Arrested for Contempt of Court
In May 2017, Tommy Robinson was arrested for contempt of court after attempting to film defendants in an ongoing rape trial outside Canterbury Crown Court.
May 2017: Robinson charged and convicted of contempt of court
In May 2017, Tommy Robinson was charged with contempt of court, and convicted after filming inside Canterbury Crown Court and posting prejudicial statements calling the defendants "Muslim child rapists" while the jury was deliberating.
March 2018: Permanent ban from Twitter
In March 2018, Tommy Robinson was permanently banned from Twitter for violating its rules on "hateful conduct".
May 2018: Arrested and jailed for imperilling justice
In May 2018, Tommy Robinson was jailed and later released for imperilling the course of justice in the Huddersfield sex abuse ring trial. On 25 May 2018, he was arrested for breach of the peace while live streaming outside Leeds Crown Court during the trial of the Huddersfield grooming gang on which reporting restrictions had been ordered. Judge Geoffrey Marson QC issued a further reporting restriction on Robinson's case, prohibiting any reporting until the grooming trial was complete.
May 2018: Reporting restrictions lifted, Robinson admits contempt
On 29 May 2018, the reporting restriction with regard to Tommy Robinson was lifted, following a challenge by journalists. The media reported that Robinson had admitted contempt of court by publishing information that could prejudice an ongoing trial, and had been jailed for 13 months. Judge Marson sentenced Robinson to ten months for contempt of court and activated his previous three months' suspended sentence. Robinson's lawyer said that Robinson felt "deep regret" after comprehending the potential consequences of his behaviour.
July 2018: US Ambassador lobbies UK government
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.
July 2018: Appeal heard by the Court of Appeal
On 18 July 2018, Tommy Robinson's appeal came before the Lord Chief Justice and two others at the Court of Appeal. Robinson argued that he had not admitted the charges at Leeds nor had he been given a chance to apologise. His lawyer said that his initial contempt hearing was flawed and that his sentence was unfair.
August 2018: Contempt conviction quashed by Court of Appeal
In August 2018, a contempt conviction against Tommy Robinson had been quashed by the Court of Appeal "over procedural failings".
August 2018: Court of Appeal issues ruling
On 1 August 2018, the Court of Appeal issued its ruling on Tommy Robinson's appeal. The appeal against the Canterbury proceedings failed and that 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 mainly discussed his two months in prison. He claimed mistreatment at HM Prison Onley, including 'solitary confinement'.
October 2018: False accusation against 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.
October 2018: Case referred to attorney general
In October 2018, the Recorder of London referred Tommy Robinson's case to the attorney general for further investigation.
November 2018: PayPal stops processing payments for Robinson
In November 2018 PayPal told Tommy Robinson that it would no longer process payments on his behalf. The service said it cannot "be used to promote hate, violence, or other forms of intolerance that is [sic] discriminatory".
November 2018: Visa denied for US trip
In November 2018, Tommy Robinson was not granted a visa for a trip to the US, where he was invited to speak at a private meeting.
2018: Suspended prison sentence activated
In 2018, Tommy Robinson's suspended prison sentence was activated due to a technical error. He was again found to be in contempt of court at Leeds and wrongly given a sentence of imprisonment, which activated the Canterbury suspended sentence. Both sentences were for contempt of court, related to speeches or publications creating a "substantial risk that the course of justice in the proceedings in question will be seriously impeded or prejudiced". He was later released following a successful challenge to the court's sentencing procedure, and a rehearing was ordered.
2018: US ambassador raised imprisonment issue
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.
January 2019: YouTube removes adverts from account
In January 2019 YouTube announced that it had removed adverts from Tommy Robinson's account, saying that he had breached the site's guidelines.
January 2019: Refugee boy describes living in fear
In January 2019, the 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: Facebook bans Robinson
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". It also cited violations of policies concerning "organized hate".
March 2019: Court Rejects Harassment Claims
In March 2019, Peterborough County Court rejected Tommy Robinson's claims of harassment against Cambridgeshire Constabulary related to a 2016 incident, and he was ordered to pay £20,000 towards costs. He stated he would appeal the ruling.
March 2019: Attorney general decides to bring further proceedings
In March 2019, the attorney general decided that it was in the public interest to bring further proceedings against Tommy Robinson due to procedural failings in August 2018 and referred to the attorney general in October 2018. The first hearing was due to take place on 22 March 2019.
March 2019: Attempted to intimidate journalist
On 4 March 2019, Tommy Robinson arrived uninvited at the home of a journalist who covers far-right issues and attempted to intimidate him by revealing the journalist's address on a livestream and threatening to reveal other journalists' addresses. He left after police arrived.
April 2019: Snapchat terminates account
In April 2019, Snapchat terminated Tommy Robinson's account for violating their community guidelines, which prohibit hate speech and harassment.
April 2019: YouTube restricts account
In April 2019, YouTube restricted Tommy Robinson's account due to its "borderline content".
May 2019: Robinson sued for defamation
On 15 May 2019, the lawyer for the Syrian refugee boy said that his client was suing Tommy Robinson for "defamatory comments" Robinson had made.
July 2019: Robinson jailed for nine months
On 11 July 2019, Tommy Robinson was jailed for nine months at the Old Bailey. Outside the court, some of his supporters booed and a crowd marched toward the building chanting "we want Tommy out"; some began pelting police with bottles and cans.
July 2019: Found 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 related to his video livestreaming from the Huddersfield trial.
April 2020: Banned from TikTok
In April 2020, Tommy Robinson was banned from TikTok for sharing content that "promote[s] hateful ideology".
November 2020: Arrested for breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules
On 1 November 2020, Tommy Robinson was arrested at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, for breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules.
January 2021: Incident with Journalist Lizzie Dearden
Sometime after 10 pm on 17 January 2021, Tommy Robinson went to the home of 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 files for bankruptcy
In March 2021, Tommy Robinson filed for bankruptcy, using the name Stephen Christopher Lennon.
March 2021: Issued Interim Stalking Ban Order
In March 2021, on 19 March, Tommy Robinson was issued with an interim stalking ban order after publishing photographs of journalist Lizzie Dearden's partner and making false allegations about him.
July 2021: Robinson found to have libelled the boy
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.
October 2021: Convicted of Stalking
On 13 October 2021, Tommy Robinson was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court of stalking journalist Lizzie Dearden and her partner, and was given a five-year ban from contacting them or referring to them.
2021: Declared Bankruptcy
In March 2021, Tommy Robinson declared bankruptcy after losing £100,000 in gambling as of June 2022.
January 2022: Insolvency expert appointed
In January 2022 an independent insolvency expert was appointed by Tommy Robinson's creditors to find any assets or money that Robinson could be hiding. Robinson owed an estimated £1.5 million in legal costs.
January 2022: Creditors appoint insolvency expert
In January 2022, people owed money by Tommy Robinson appointed an independent insolvency expert in an attempt to recover their money before the deadline for claims in March 2022.
June 2022: Gambling Loss and HMRC Debt
In June 2022, Tommy Robinson revealed that he had lost £100,000 in gambling and owed approximately £160,000 to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
June 2022: Robinson says he spent £100,000 on gambling
In June 2022, at the High Court in London, Tommy Robinson said that he spent £100,000 on gambling, stating he had suffered a "total mental breakdown", before declaring bankruptcy. He also said he owed an estimated £160,000 to HMRC.
August 2022: Robinson fined 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; he was also 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 journalist Lizzie Dearden's partner were false.
July 2024: Accusation of Spreading Misinformation
In July 2024, after leaving the UK for Cyprus, Tommy Robinson was accused of spreading misinformation about the perpetrator of a mass stabbing of children in Southport. He falsely claimed the perpetrator was a Muslim asylum seeker, which led to violent far-right riots across the UK.
July 2024: Police request mobile phone PIN
In July 2024, police in Folkestone requested Tommy Robinson's mobile phone login PIN, which he refused to provide.
July 2024: Arrest at Channel Tunnel and Alleged Screening of 'Silenced'
On July 28, 2024, Tommy Robinson was arrested by Kent Police at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone under the Terrorism Act 2000. He was released on bail. He allegedly screened his film Silenced, despite a High Court order, at the Unite the Kingdom protest at Trafalgar Square.
August 2024: Report on Robinson's debts and secretive companies
In August 2024, The Times reported Tommy Robinson owed in the region of £2 million to his creditors, and said he and associates had created "a web of secretive companies" which made profits of over £1.6 million without paying tax.
August 2024: Reported HMRC Investigation and Debt
In August 2024, The Times reported that Tommy Robinson owed approximately £2 million to his creditors and was under investigation by HMRC for unpaid taxes.
August 2024: Harassment Allegations
In August 2024, Tommy Robinson was accused of harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists, leading to charges in May 2025.
August 2024: Investigation for Inciting Riots
In August 2024, prosecutors in the UK began investigating Tommy Robinson for his alleged role in inciting riots that occurred after he spread misinformation about the Southport mass stabbing perpetrator.
August 2024: Irish Passport Investigation
In August 2024, three Irish Teachtaí Dála asked the Irish government to investigate the validity of Tommy Robinson's Irish passport, after it emerged he had given his place of birth as "Ireland".
August 2024: False statement on X regarding Richard Everitt murder
On August 13, 2024, Tommy Robinson falsely stated on X that three defendants charged with the Richard Everitt murder had been 'convicted' of the killing. He then made another post, copying the original screen.
October 2024: Robinson admits contempt of court and is sentenced to prison
In October 2024, Tommy Robinson handed himself in to Folkestone police station. On October 28, 2024, at Woolwich Crown Court, Robinson admitted contempt of court and was sentenced to 18 months in prison and issued with a costs order for £80,350.82.
November 2024: Robinson charged with terror-related offence
In November 2024, Tommy Robinson was charged with a terror-related offence after he refused to provide his mobile phone login PIN when requested by police in July 2024.
November 2024: Relocation to HM Prison Woodhill
In November 2024, Tommy Robinson was relocated within HM Prison Belmarsh and then entered a closed wing at HM Prison Woodhill to protect him from attacks by other prisoners after receiving abusive and racist emails and threats directed at the governor.
January 2025: Judge orders Robinson to pay £50,000
In January 2025, the judge ordered Tommy Robinson to pay £50,000 by 4pm on January 7.
January 2025: Elon Musk's support for Tommy Robinson and prison podcast
On January 1, 2025, Elon Musk retweeted Tommy Robinson's film, calling it "Worth watching". On January 2, Musk tweeted "Free Tommy Robinson!". On January 7, Robinson released a podcast praising Musk. HM Prison Service began investigating how Robinson recorded and released a podcast from his prison cell.
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. He claimed he was "terrified of the long-term consequences of the continued solitary confinement".
March 2025: Trial expected for terror-related offence
In March 2025, a trial was initially expected to begin for Tommy Robinson's terror-related offence.
March 2025: Court dismisses Robinson's claim about prison segregation
On March 21, 2025, Mr Justice Chamberlain dismissed Tommy Robinson's claim regarding his prison segregation, stating that the decision had been taken for Robinson's own protection and in the interests of preserving the safety of other prisoners and staff.
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.
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 5 June 2025, Tommy Robinson appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court and elected for a trial by jury regarding harassment charges. He was released on bail ahead of a pre-trial hearing in July 2025.
July 2025: Entered Not Guilty Pleas
At a hearing in July 2025, Tommy Robinson entered not guilty pleas to harassment charges. The trial is scheduled for 16 October 2026.
October 2025: Terror trial opens
In October 2025, the trial for Tommy Robinson's terror-related offence opened; after a two-day hearing closed on 14 October, a judgement announced on 4 November 2025 cleared Robinson of the offence.
November 2025: Robinson cleared of terror offence
In November 2025, Tommy Robinson was cleared of the terror offence. The judge ruled that Robinson was stopped unlawfully as, rather than on suspicion of a connection to terrorism, the stop was based on what the far-right activist "stood for" and his beliefs.
2025: Served Prison Term
Tommy Robinson has a history of criminal convictions, and in 2025, he served one of five prison terms between 2005 and 2025.
February 2026: Reportedly left the UK due to threats
In February 2026, Tommy Robinson reportedly left the UK following alleged threats against him in an Islamic State publication. He traveled to Washington, D.C., and met with Joe Rittenhouse and Randy Fine.
October 2026: Trial Scheduled for Harassment Charges
Tommy Robinson's trial for harassment charges, related to an incident in August 2024, is scheduled for 16 October 2026.
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