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He's lost his libel case

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    He's lost his libel case


    His parents clearly didn't teach him common decency.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-57930901


    Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson has lost a High Court libel case brought by a Syrian schoolboy.

    Jamal Hijazi was filmed being attacked in the playground at Almondbury School in Huddersfield in October 2018.

    The English Defence League founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, claimed Mr Hijazi attacked "young English girls".

    Mr Justice Nicklin ruled in Mr Hijazi's favour and granted him £100,000 in damages.

    Shortly after the video of the incident went viral, Mr Robinson claimed in two Facebook videos that the teenager was "not innocent and he violently attacks young English girls in his school".

    In the clips viewed by nearly one million people, the 38-year-old also claimed Jamal "beat a girl black and blue" and "threatened to stab" another boy at his school, allegations the teenager denies.

    The judge said Yaxley-Lennon's defence that the "very serious" allegations were substantially true had not been proved.

    He said: "As was entirely predictable, the claimant then became the target of abuse which ultimately led to him and his family having to leave their home, and the claimant to have to abandon his education.

    "The defendant is responsible for this harm, some of the scars of which, particularly the impact on the claimant's education, are likely last for many years, if not a lifetime."

    Mr Justice Nicklin said Yaxley Lennon used language "calculated to inflame the situation".

    "The defendant's contribution to this media frenzy was a deliberate effort to portray the claimant as being, far from an innocent victim, but in fact a violent aggressor," he added.

    At a hearing following the judgement the judge granted an injunction against Yaxley-Lennon, preventing him from repeating the allegations he made.

    Jamal Hijazi's lawyers welcomed the judgement and praised Mr Hijazi's "courage" in pursuing the claim.

    Francesca Flood, from Burlingtons Legal, said: "Jamal and his family now wish to put this matter behind them in order that they can get on with their lives.

    "They do, however, wish to extend their gratitude to the Great British public for their support and generosity, without which this legal action would not have been possible."



    Death threats


    During a trial in April, Catrin Evans QC, for Mr Hijazi, said that Yaxley-Lennon's comments led to the teenager "facing death threats and extremist agitation" and that he should receive damages of between £150,000 and £190,000.

    She described Yaxley-Lennon as "a well-known extreme-right advocate" with an "anti-Muslim agenda" who used social media to spread his views.

    She added that the defendant's videos "turned Jamal into the aggressor and the bully into a righteous white knight".

    Yaxley Lennon, who represented himself during the trial, maintained he was an independent journalist, telling the court: "The media simply had zero interest in the other side of this story, the uncomfortable truth."

    "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

    #2
    Originally posted by SueEllen View Post
    His parents clearly didn't teach him common decency.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-57930901


    Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson has lost a High Court libel case brought by a Syrian schoolboy.

    Jamal Hijazi was filmed being attacked in the playground at Almondbury School in Huddersfield in October 2018.

    The English Defence League founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, claimed Mr Hijazi attacked "young English girls".

    Mr Justice Nicklin ruled in Mr Hijazi's favour and granted him £100,000 in damages.

    Shortly after the video of the incident went viral, Mr Robinson claimed in two Facebook videos that the teenager was "not innocent and he violently attacks young English girls in his school".

    In the clips viewed by nearly one million people, the 38-year-old also claimed Jamal "beat a girl black and blue" and "threatened to stab" another boy at his school, allegations the teenager denies.

    The judge said Yaxley-Lennon's defence that the "very serious" allegations were substantially true had not been proved.

    He said: "As was entirely predictable, the claimant then became the target of abuse which ultimately led to him and his family having to leave their home, and the claimant to have to abandon his education.

    "The defendant is responsible for this harm, some of the scars of which, particularly the impact on the claimant's education, are likely last for many years, if not a lifetime."

    Mr Justice Nicklin said Yaxley Lennon used language "calculated to inflame the situation".

    "The defendant's contribution to this media frenzy was a deliberate effort to portray the claimant as being, far from an innocent victim, but in fact a violent aggressor," he added.

    At a hearing following the judgement the judge granted an injunction against Yaxley-Lennon, preventing him from repeating the allegations he made.

    Jamal Hijazi's lawyers welcomed the judgement and praised Mr Hijazi's "courage" in pursuing the claim.

    Francesca Flood, from Burlingtons Legal, said: "Jamal and his family now wish to put this matter behind them in order that they can get on with their lives.

    "They do, however, wish to extend their gratitude to the Great British public for their support and generosity, without which this legal action would not have been possible."



    Death threats


    During a trial in April, Catrin Evans QC, for Mr Hijazi, said that Yaxley-Lennon's comments led to the teenager "facing death threats and extremist agitation" and that he should receive damages of between £150,000 and £190,000.

    She described Yaxley-Lennon as "a well-known extreme-right advocate" with an "anti-Muslim agenda" who used social media to spread his views.

    She added that the defendant's videos "turned Jamal into the aggressor and the bully into a righteous white knight".

    Yaxley Lennon, who represented himself during the trial, maintained he was an independent journalist, telling the court: "The media simply had zero interest in the other side of this story, the uncomfortable truth."
    bumped as beggared by vbulletin!
    Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

    Comment


      #3
      https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-61753172

      The founder of the English Defence League has told a court he spent £100,000 on gambling while receiving donations from supporters.
      Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, gave evidence about his finances after losing a libel case.

      The 39-year-old was ordered to pay damages to Syrian teenager Jamal Hijazi after defaming him online.

      Robinson told the court he owed hundreds of thousands of pounds when he declared himself bankrupt last year.

      Appearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London at a hearing to discuss money he owes, he said at one point he was spending about £100,000 on gambling in casinos and online.

      He described how he wasted money on "drink, alcohol, partying" while receiving thousands of pounds in donations from supporters.

      Robinson said in 2020 he received about £1,000 a month from supporters and at times that figure was between £3,000 to £4,000.
      "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by SueEllen View Post
        Robinson said in 2020 he received about £1,000 a month from supporters and at times that figure was between £3,000 to £4,000.
        I wonder how much he declared and paid tax on?

        I mean, being a right wing loon isn’t good, but not paying Hector, he’ll not get out of that one as easily.
        …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by WTFH View Post

          I wonder how much he declared and paid tax on?

          I mean, being a right wing loon isn’t good, but not paying Hector, he’ll not get out of that one as easily.
          How would one report someone evading tax to HMRC so they take notice?

          Just asking for a friend like.
          "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by SueEllen View Post

            How would one report someone evading tax to HMRC so they take notice?

            Just asking for a friend like.
            Tell them that they were loans that he never had to repay.
            …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

            Comment


              #7
              Anyone know why Lennon changed his name?
              Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post
                Anyone know why Lennon changed his name?
                I believe it was because he thought his double barrelled surname made him sound posh, so changed it to something that he thought sounded more common.

                Tommy - Tommy gun, THE WAR, DEFEATING THE GERMANS, etc.
                …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post
                  Anyone know why Lennon changed his name?
                  Because he liked the idea of people confusing him for a famous gay pop singer and activist?
                  His heart is in the right place - shame we can't say the same about his brain...

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Mordac View Post

                    Because he liked the idea of people confusing him for a famous gay pop singer and activist?
                    Which Tommy Robinson is that?
                    …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

                    Comment

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