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| Tommy Robinson loses appeal against prison sentence | Tommy Robinson loses appeal against prison sentence |
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| The far-right anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, has lost an appeal against his 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court. | The far-right anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, has lost an appeal against his 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court. |
| Yaxley-Lennon was jailed last October after he ignored a court order not to repeat lies about a Syrian refugee, who had successfully sued him for libel. | Yaxley-Lennon was jailed last October after he ignored a court order not to repeat lies about a Syrian refugee, who had successfully sued him for libel. |
| The 42-year-old appealed against the sentence on Friday, with the Court of Appeal told his segregation from other inmates at HMP Woodhill was damaging to his mental health. | The 42-year-old appealed against the sentence on Friday, with the Court of Appeal told his segregation from other inmates at HMP Woodhill was damaging to his mental health. |
| In a ruling on Wednesday morning, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Edis and Lord Justice Warby dismissed the appeal. | In a ruling on Wednesday morning, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Edis and Lord Justice Warby dismissed the appeal. |
| "The judge's application of the law and his reasoning on the appropriate sanction in this case both exhibit a meticulous approach," they said. | "The judge's application of the law and his reasoning on the appropriate sanction in this case both exhibit a meticulous approach," they said. |
| Following the ruling, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office said Yaxley-Lennon's 18-month sentence "reflected how gravely the court considers contempt". | Following the ruling, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office said Yaxley-Lennon's 18-month sentence "reflected how gravely the court considers contempt". |
| "We respect the court's decision to refuse permission to appeal the sentence imposed," they added. | "We respect the court's decision to refuse permission to appeal the sentence imposed," they added. |
| The latest ruling marks Yaxley-Lennon's second court defeat in less than a month, after he lost a closely-related challenge to his segregation in jail in March. | The latest ruling marks Yaxley-Lennon's second court defeat in less than a month, after he lost a closely-related challenge to his segregation in jail in March. |
| Yaxley-Lennon, who is from Luton, was imprisoned after breaching a court order put in place after he lost a hugely expensive libel trial in 2021. | |
| The former leader of the now-defunct English Defence League had wrongly claimed in an online video that a Syrian teenager was a violent thug. | The former leader of the now-defunct English Defence League had wrongly claimed in an online video that a Syrian teenager was a violent thug. |
| He later repeated that false allegation, including during a rally at London's Trafalgar Square last year, and ultimately admitted 10 breaches of the court order. | He later repeated that false allegation, including during a rally at London's Trafalgar Square last year, and ultimately admitted 10 breaches of the court order. |
| The judge who jailed Yaxley-Lennon last October acknowledged it was likely he would need to be separated from other inmates for his own safety. | The judge who jailed Yaxley-Lennon last October acknowledged it was likely he would need to be separated from other inmates for his own safety. |
| He is currently held on a closed wing at Woodhill in Milton Keynes, away from other prisoners, but has contact with staff and has access to a phone and laptop. | He is currently held on a closed wing at Woodhill in Milton Keynes, away from other prisoners, but has contact with staff and has access to a phone and laptop. |