Graham Linehan, the 58-year-old Irish comedy writer, has been awarded a £25,000 settlement from the Metropolitan Police after filing a civil claim over his arrest for social media posts concerning transgender issues. The arrest occurred at Heathrow Airport in September as he returned from Arizona, on suspicion of inciting violence over three posts on X.
Investigation Dropped and Settlement Reached
In October, Linehan announced that the investigation into his posts had been dropped, but he expressed intent to hold the police accountable. A settlement has now been reached in the civil claim, and four officers have undergone learning through reflection—a non-disciplinary process for low-level performance issues. Reports indicate Linehan received £25,000.
Met Police Apology and Policy Change
In a statement on Thursday, a Met Police spokesperson said: “We recognise the considerable distress caused to Mr Linehan, and have offered our sincere apologies. This case prompted a significant change, which means the Met no longer investigates non-crime hate incidents. We believe this will provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.” The force had previously apologized to Linehan in May.
Criticism and Legal Outcomes
Conservative politicians and author JK Rowling criticized Linehan's arrest. He was cleared of harassing transgender campaigner Sophia Brooks with social media posts before and after an incident outside the Battle Of Ideas conference in Westminster on October 19, 2024. Linehan posted on X: “With the aid of the Free Speech Union, I still aim to hold the police accountable for what is only the latest attempt to silence and silence gender-critical voices on behalf of dangerous and disturbed men.” A conviction for damaging Brooks' mobile phone was also overturned on appeal.
