Tommy Robinson has been found not guilty after being accused of a terror offence over refusing to give police access to his phone when he was stopped at the border in a Bentley with thousands of pounds in cash.
Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was driving a silver Bentayga SUV to the Spanish tourist hotspot of Benidorm when he was stopped by officers at the Channel Tunnel last year, a court heard.
Police were suspicious of the 42-year-oldâs âvague repliesâ about what he was doing and demanded access to his iPhone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, which gives police the power to stop anyone passing through a UK port âto determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorismâ.
On Tuesday, District Judge Sam Goozee found Robinson not guilty of failing to comply with the counter-terrorism powers during the incident in Folkestone on 28 July last year.
Mr Goozee said: âI cannot put out of my mind that it was actually what you stood for and your political beliefs that acted for the principle reason for this stop.â
He also said that Pc Mitchell Thorogoodâs decision to stop Robinson was based on a âprotected characteristicâ, adding: âI cannot convict you.â
There were cheers in the public gallery, while Robinson left the dock with his hands in his hoodie pocket.
The far-right figure had faced a three-week wait for his verdict because he had a pre-planned trip to Israel.
As the two-day trial took place last month, the former English Defence League (EDL) leader said in a video posted on X that billionaire Elon Musk had âpicked up the legal billâ for âthis absolute state persecutionâ.
Opening the case, prosecutor Jo Morris said officers âbecame concernedâ about the activistâs âdemeanourâ after he drove alone into the police inspection area. âHe gave short, vague replies and made no eye contact,â she continued.
Robinson, who was recognised by police, was led to an interview room and his phone was seized, the court heard.
On the way there, he tried to film a video of himself saying he had been arrested, and was told by officers to ârelaxâ, the trial was told.
Asked to hand over the phoneâs Pin, Robinson replied: âNot a chance bruv ⌠you look like c***s so you ainât having it.â
âItâs my work, Iâm a journalist,â he said, adding that the phone held information about âvulnerable girlsâ.
âThe process by which journalistic material would be protected was explained to him,â Ms Morris said.
The court heard that while being interviewed, Robinson told the officers: âFor me itâs a win-win, itâs going to be bad for yous.â
The campaigner had more than ÂŁ13,000 and âŹ1,900 on him when he was stopped and was travelling in a high-value car that was not registered under his name, the trial heard.
He had also booked his tickets to travel on the day, the court was told.
Under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, the person who is detained can be held for up to six hours, is legally obliged to answer questions and must provide the password or Pin for electronic devices, or be held to have committed a criminal offence if they refuse.
Alisdair Williamson KC, defending, had said the stop and detention was unlawful because officers had taken a âdiscriminatory stanceâ based on their knowledge of Robinsonâs views.
Mr Williamson said the officersâ intervention was discriminatory because it was based to a âsignificant degree on a protected characteristicâ.
He said the âpredominant influenceâ on Pc Mitchell Thorogoodâs decision to stop him was ââoh look, itâs Tommy Robinsonââ.
Mr Williamson added: âIf MI5 didnât think that Mr Lennon is a terrorist, what did Pc Thorogood think he was going to learn by asking him about publicly available information?â
He suggested Robinson travelled to Benidorm regularly, which should have lessened the officerâs suspicions about him.
The lawyer said there was âno evidence that the stop was carried out diligently or expeditiouslyâ, and that it was a âfishing expeditionâ as there was nothing to link Robinson to terrorism.
