🔗 Share this article

Prosecutors informed the court that police maintained valid concerns indicating Tommy Robinson's phone held information relevant to acts of terrorism when they stopped him last year as he tried to depart from the UK.

Refusal to Provide Phone Password

The right-wing campaigner, using his real name is Tommy Robinson, reportedly refused to provide his password to police, stating it included “journalistic material.” This occurred after he was intercepted at the Channel tunnel on 28 July 2024.

Prosecution Arguments on Anti-Terror Powers

On the last day of the proceedings, state lawyer the prosecution stated that the anti-terror authorities employed by police are designed to allow information collection. She asserted that police had valid grounds to believe the defendant still have links to far-right activists, even following the dissolution of the EDL organization.

“Although his affiliation of the EDL has come to an end, his beliefs have not disappeared. He is recognized for holding those opinions and therefore it is a valid concern to think that on his telephone there could be information pertaining to acts of terrorism,” she told the court.

The prosecutor continued, His opinions – to which he is entitled – were not the focus for their concern on July 28. It was his association to individuals who are potentially engaged in illegal actions.”

Details of the Stop

The campaigner had turned up alone at the Eurotunnel in a silver Bentley belonging to a friend and was on his way to the Spanish resort of the Spanish coast with more than £13,000 in a carry-on, the trial was told.

The money was reportedly from a collection to offset expenses from arranging a major rally that occurred the day before in a London landmark.

Legal Team Arguments

The defendant, who denies failing to comply with anti-terror laws during the incident on July 28 last year, faces up to three months in jail or a potential £2,500 fine if convicted.

His lawyer, Alisdair Williamson KC, argued in closing submissions that anti-terror officers who stopped Robinson had conducted a speculative search” and that he had been unlawfully detained.

Citing evidence from officers who stated they contacted “partner agencies” after detaining Robinson, the defense lawyer said this was a allusion to the security services and that no evidence had been offered from MI5 to suggest his defendant was a security threat.

Williamson asserted the officers’ action was “discriminatory” because it was based to a “significant degree on a protected characteristic.” He stated that the “predominant influence” on the decision to stop him was “‘oh look, it’s Tommy Robinson”.

He noted that police had used an “extraordinary power that must be properly policed” to try to discover information that was previously available. The barrister suggested that Robinson traveled to the resort frequently, which ought to have lessened the police concerns about him.

Legal Costs and Verdict Timing

Robinson stated that his court expenses in the proceedings were being paid for by Elon Musk, the proprietor of X and Tesla, who has appeared as an supporter of the far-right activist and lately spoke at a rally arranged by him in London via a online broadcast.

A proposed date of next Tuesday for the decision was altered by the magistrate, the judge, after the defense explained Robinson was scheduled to be a guest of the Israeli government from the midweek and would not come back until October 25.

{“I wouldn’t trouble you if this was a trip to Benidorm. I would ask him to rearrange it but he is a guest of a foreign government,” stated the barrister.

Goozee said he would deliver his ruling on the start of 4 November.