Tommy Robinson tells court he had journalists' homes photographed

Tommy Robinson told his harassment trial on Thursday that he used private investigators to track down journalists and had photos taken of their homes "to put pressure" on them, according to The Guardian.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is charged with two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against two MailOnline journalists, Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber, over conduct in 2024. He denies the charges. The BBC reported that he pleaded not guilty. The trial is being heard at Southwark Crown Court.

Robinson gave evidence on Thursday and was cross-examined by the prosecutor, Ben Holt. Prosecutors allege that he threatened the reporters in messages, phone calls and posts that referred to their homes and families, according to Courthouse News. The two journalists had reported that Robinson was posting about civil unrest.

Robinson told the court he paid to obtain the personal number of a Daily Mail editor and left a voicemail for the paper's editor-in-chief, Ted Verity. In the message, he said he would make Verity and his family famous.

On the photo of Dirnhuber at his home, Robinson said publishing it was "totally reasonable" because he was in a "race against time" to get the Mail to remove a photo of his ex-wife. That photo ran under the headline "Stoking race riots from his sunbed." Robinson conceded that his messages to the journalists, his phone call and his voicemail to Verity did not ask for the image of his ex-wife to be removed.

Robinson also shared photos of the wife and daughter of one of the journalists. The court heard that Dirnhuber and his partner left their home after receiving threatening emails, and that Young's family considered leaving theirs.

Robinson told the jury that he did not stoke the 2024 riots and that he tried to calm things. He denies trying to intimidate the journalists he tracked down. The trial was adjourned until Friday.