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Prosecutors told the court that law enforcement had valid concerns indicating Tommy Robinson's mobile held material relevant to terrorist activities when they detained him last year as he tried to leave the UK.

Denial to Give Phone Pin

The right-wing campaigner, using his real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, reportedly declined to provide his phone pin to police, stating it contained journalist content.” This occurred after he was stopped at the Eurotunnel on July 28, 2024.

Trial Arguments on Anti-Terror Authority

On the final day of the trial, state lawyer the prosecution argued that the counter-terrorism powers employed by law enforcement are intended to permit information collection. She asserted that officers had valid grounds to believe the defendant continued to have links to far-right activists, even after the disbandment of the EDL organization.

While his affiliation of the English Defence League has come to an end, his views have not disappeared. He is known for holding those views and therefore it is a reasonable suspicion to think that on his telephone there may be information relevant to terrorist acts,” she told Westminster magistrates court.

The prosecutor added, “His beliefs – to which he is allowed – were not the subject for their attention on 28 July. It was his association to individuals who are possibly engaged in prohibited activities.”

Circumstances of the Detention

The campaigner had arrived alone at the Channel tunnel in a luxury vehicle belonging to a friend and was traveling to the Spanish resort of Benidorm with more than £13,000 in a small bag, the trial heard.

The money was said to have been from a donation drive to cover expenses from organizing a large demonstration that occurred the previous day in a London landmark.

Legal Team Submissions

Robinson, who denies failing to comply with anti-terror laws during the incident on 28 July last year, faces up to 90 days in prison or a possible £2,500 fine if found guilty.

His lawyer, Alisdair Williamson KC, argued in final arguments that anti-terror officers who detained Robinson had engaged in a “fishing expedition” and that he had been unlawfully detained.

Citing testimony from officers who said they contacted other organizations” after arresting Robinson, Williamson said this was a allusion to the intelligence agencies and that no evidence had been offered from MI5 to suggest his client was a security threat.

He said the officers’ intervention was “discriminatory” because it was based to a “significant degree on a personal attribute.” He said that the main factor” on the decision to stop him was recognizing his identity”.

He noted that officers had used an “extraordinary power that needs to be properly policed” to try to find out information that was already known. Williamson suggested that his client journeyed to the resort regularly, which should have reduced the officers’ concerns about him.

Legal Costs and Judgment Timing

The activist stated that his court expenses in the case were being covered by Elon Musk, the proprietor of X and Tesla, who has appeared as an ally of the campaigner and recently spoke at a gathering organized by him in the capital via a livestream.

A proposed day of the following Tuesday for the verdict was changed by the district judge, Sam Goozee, after the defense explained Robinson was due to be a guest of the Israeli government from Wednesday and would not return until 25 October.

{“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,” said Williamson.

The judge said he would hand down his ruling on the start of 4 November.