Political activist Tommy Robinson left a voicemail for the editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail saying he would “make you famous and your families”, a court heard.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is on trial for allegedly harassing journalists Jacob Dirnhuber and Andrew Young, causing them fear of violence, in August 2024 after they worked on a story about him while he was on holiday in Cyprus.
On Tuesday, jurors trying the case at Southwark Crown Court were played a voicemail left on Ted Verity’s phone, which said: “If it’s legitimate journalism then expect me to come knocking,” adding: “I’ve already located every f****** one of you.”
During the morning’s evidence, the court heard witness statements of the two alleged victims, in which Mr Dirnhuber was left “scared to go to my own house” and freelance journalist Mr Young felt his family was under threat because of the alleged harassment by Robinson.
Tommy Robinson (centre), whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (Jeff Moore/PA)
PA Wire
Mr Dirnhuber, an editor at the Daily Mail and MailOnline, said he feared being “intercepted” by a supporter of Robinson on his way to work, who may have been “hoping to cause me or my partner physical harm”.
Mr Young also said he feared the defendant’s followers would “seek revenge on me” following stories published about him being in Cyprus during unrest across the country after three girls were murdered in Southport.
Another Daily Mail journalist, George Odling, said in his witness statement that he, his wife and young child had to leave their home through a neighbour’s house because they feared being followed by Robinson’s supporters
The court previously heard Robinson used “bully-boy, intimidatory tactics” to frighten the journalists with a series of posts and direct messages on social media platform X.
Robinson is accused of harassing journalists (Elizabeth Cook/PA)
PA Wire
Robinson, 43, who founded the English Defence League, entered not guilty pleas to two charges of harassment causing fear of violence in July last year.
The court heard the activist told police his hotel in Cyprus was “overrun with news crews” following stories published in the Daily Mail and MailOnline.
He is accused of harassing the journalists through X posts and direct messages, and an alleged telephone call on August 5 2024, in which he is accused of telling Mr Young he would visit his house, saying: “I’m coming to get you.”
One of the direct messages Robinson is accused of sending Mr Dirnhuber on X on the same day allegedly said: “I’ll be knocking at your door.”
An image from Mr Young’s ring doorbell camera was shown to the jury which captured a grey Audi that had been parked outside his house shortly before he returned from Cyprus.
Doorbell camera footage of a car parked outside alleged victim Andrew Young’s home (Metropolitan Police/PA)
PA Media
His statement read: “The driveway and path to our front door is quite overgrown, so there is really only one spot on the road which has a view all the way to our front door.”
Mr Young added: “I was worried and concerned, I felt that my family was under threat and I was fearful of what might happen next.”
As part of the evidence, the jurors heard the voicemail left on Mr Verity’s phone, in which Robinson said: “You’ve obviously destroyed my children’s holiday in the cost of thousands and I’ll give you an opportunity to sort it out because at the minute I’m looking at you and the other two journalists.
“In fact all of you, yeah.
“If it’s fair game then, I’m a journalist. I’m going to cover you, and your families like you’ve just done to mine, yeah.”
It continued: “If it’s legitimate journalism then expect me to come to come knocking.
“I’ve already located every f****** one of you.
“I’ve got pictures of everyone here that can go in my story.
“I’m not threatening you with violence or anything like that. What I’m promising you is I’ll make you famous and your families because that’s what you’ve done to me.”
Concluding his voicemail message, Robinson can be heard saying: “Now I know you wasn’t in your house yesterday… I don’t want to do it so please make sure you answer your phone so we can chat.”
Tommy Robinson arrives at Southwark Crown Court (PA)
PA Wire
Earlier on Tuesday, prosecutor Ben Holt read the statement of Mr Dirnhuber to the court, in which he said “during all that time nothing quite like this has ever happened to me”.
The statement read: “It made me for a period scared to go out in public, it made me scared to go to my own house, it made me feel immensely guilty as to how it affected my loved ones and has caused stress in my personal relationships.
“Even now every time I step out of my front door I am aware that there is a risk of a vigilante attack.”
Mr Dirnhuber said the Daily Mail felt that “we could legitimately report on his activity” while he was in Cyprus, but the newspaper did not publish identifiable images of his children.
He said he and his partner decided to leave their home until security provisions had been put in place – including a doorbell camera and assessing the feasibility of a panic alarm.
Mr Young spoke of how Robinson became “increasingly menacing” after he called his personal number.
His statement read: “I told him repeatedly that I didn’t want to engage with him and he should direct any matters to the Daily Mail legal department.
“His tone became increasingly menacing raising his voice, swearing and shouting.
“I kept telling him the same thing which only seemed to make him more angry.”
Mr Young said Robinson “kept screaming at me” as he told him he had been researching his family.
“I told him several times that I regarded what he was saying as threatening behaviour and that I would be reporting it,” the statement said.
“He said that he would be coming round to my house to see me and that I would have to move house.”
The trial, expected to last five days, continues.