Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been acquitted of a terror-related offence after refusing to provide police with the passcode to his phone during a border stop at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone in July 2024. The case centred on an incident in which officers stopped Robinson as he drove a silver Bentley Bentayga SUV en route to Benidorm, Spain.
District Judge Sam Goozee ruled that the stop was unlawful, stating that police had based their actions on Robinson’s beliefs rather than any specific suspicion of terrorism. The judge noted that “it was actually what you stood for and your beliefs that acted as the principal reason for the stop,” adding that those beliefs are a protected characteristic under the relevant legislation.
Robinson’s defence argued that the police had engaged in a “fishing expedition” and that there was no evidence from MI5 suggesting he was a terrorist. The judge also expressed concern that the officers involved had “no real recollection” of the questions they had asked during the stop.
Following the acquittal, Robinson thanked US billionaire Elon Musk, claiming Musk had funded his legal costs. There was cheering from supporters in the public gallery as Robinson left the dock.
