Tommy Robinson arrives at court ahead of harassment trial

Tommy Robinson tells court he had photos taken of journalists’ homes to pressure them

In his testimony at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, far-right activist Tommy Robinson (43) claimed that hiring private investigators to take photographs of the home addresses of MailOnline journalists Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber was intended to "put pressure" on them rather than intimidate or bully. Robinson denied that his actions were designed to cause fear, stating, “I’m not coming to beat [them] up … they know that.” He also mentioned a voicemail left for the editor of the Daily Mail after obtaining their personal number.

Robinson is charged with two counts of harassment causing fear of violence towards Young and Dirnhuber in 2024. During his testimony, he argued that publishing a photo of Jacob Dirnhuber at his home was "totally reasonable" because he felt it necessary to get the MailOnline to remove an image of his ex-wife from their story about him being on holiday in Cyprus.

Despite these claims, Robinson acknowledged that the journalists involved feared violence due to his actions and those of his supporters. He stated, “I’m not going to argue” with their witness statements but added, "Under the circumstances I had no other options." The court heard that Robinson believed he was restrained in his voicemail messages and used getting addresses as a play card rather than an intimidation tactic.

Robinson's testimony continues to be scrutinized by both prosecution and defense teams. His actions during this period have been described as using “bully-boy tactics” to intimidate the journalists, according to prosecutor Ben Holt. The trial is ongoing with further evidence expected from both sides.