Graham Linehan, the celebrated co-creator of British sitcoms including Father Ted, has been found not guilty of harassing a transgender activist in a case he described as being without merit. The verdict was delivered at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where the 57-year-old writer briefly bowed his head upon hearing the decision.
The Court's Verdict and Key Findings
District Judge Briony Clarke delivered a mixed judgment, clearing Linehan of the harassment charge while finding him guilty of causing criminal damage for throwing the activist's phone. In her ruling, Judge Clarke stated she could not pick sides in the broader transgender debate but made significant observations about the credibility of those involved.
'The complainant was not giving entirely truthful evidence,' Judge Clarke declared. 'The defendant was generally a credible witness - he was not seeking to mislead the court.' She further expressed doubt about the level of distress claimed by the activist, noting she didn't find the complainant 'as alarmed and distressed' as had been alleged.
The Confrontation and Criminal Damage
The case stemmed from an encounter outside the Battle of Ideas conference in Westminster on October 19 last year. The court heard that trans woman Sophia Brooks, then 18, approached Linehan while he was filming outside the venue and questioned him about comments he'd made referring to teenagers as 'domestic terrorists'.
During the heated exchange, Linehan admitted to throwing Brooks' phone, explaining that 'my adrenaline was up, I was angry' and that returning the device would have felt like 'surrender'. The judge determined this action constituted criminal damage, stating Linehan was 'not using reasonable force' when he threw the phone.
Linehan's Defence and Broader Context
Throughout the three-day trial in September and October, Linehan maintained his innocence, arguing his actions were reasonable and that his 'life was made hell' by trans activists, including Brooks. He referred to the complainant using male pronouns, describing Brooks as a 'young soldier in the trans activist army' who was 'misogynistic, abusive, and snide'.
Linehan testified about the significant personal costs of his gender-critical activism, revealing he lost his income and his marriage to writer Helen Serafinowicz. 'When I refused to stop talking about it, that's when they went after my wife,' he told the court. 'They scared her to such an extent … I was losing all my income, finally the pressure drove us apart.'
The writer, who now resides in Arizona, arrived at court for the verdict wheeling a suitcase, accompanied by numerous supporters. Both he and Brooks had substantial backing throughout the proceedings, highlighting the divisive nature of the case within contemporary cultural debates.
