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Legal representatives told the court that police had reasonable suspicions indicating Tommy Robinson's phone contained material related to terrorist activities when they stopped him last year as he tried to depart from the UK.

Denial to Provide Phone Pin

The right-wing campaigner, using his real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, reportedly declined to hand over his password to officers, stating it contained journalist content.” This happened after he was intercepted at the Eurotunnel on July 28, 2024.

Prosecution Arguments on Anti-Terror Powers

On the final day of the trial, state lawyer Jo Morris stated that the anti-terror authorities used by police are designed to allow information collection. She asserted that police had valid grounds to think the defendant continued to have connections to far-right activists, even following the disbandment of the EDL organization.

While his affiliation of the English Defence League has ceased, his views have not gone away. He is known for having those opinions and therefore it is a reasonable suspicion to believe that on his phone there could be data pertaining to acts of terrorism,” she informed Westminster magistrates court.

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

Circumstances of the Detention

The activist had turned up by himself at the Channel tunnel in a silver Bentley belonging to a friend and was on his way to the holiday destination of Benidorm with more than £13,000 in a small bag, the court heard.

The funds was reportedly from a collection to offset expenses from organizing a large demonstration that occurred the previous day in Trafalgar Square.

Legal Team Submissions

The defendant, who disputes failing to comply with anti-terror laws during the encounter on 28 July last year, faces up to 90 days in jail or a potential £2,500 penalty if found guilty.

His barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, argued in final arguments that anti-terror officers who stopped his client had conducted a “fishing expedition” and that he had been illegally held.

Referring to testimony from police who said they contacted “partner agencies” after detaining Robinson, the defense lawyer claimed this was a allusion to the security services and that no evidence had been presented from MI5 to suggest his defendant was a terrorist.

He asserted the officers’ action was “discriminatory” because it was based to a large extent on a protected characteristic.” He said that the “predominant influence” on the choice to detain him was “‘oh look, it’s Tommy Robinson”.

He added that police had used an special authority that needs to be properly policed” to try to discover details that was previously available. The barrister suggested that his client journeyed to Benidorm regularly, which should have reduced the police suspicions about him.

Legal Costs and Judgment Timing

The activist stated that his court expenses in the proceedings were being covered by the tech billionaire, the proprietor of social media and electric car companies, who has emerged as an ally of the far-right activist and recently spoke at a rally arranged by him in the capital via a livestream.

A proposed day of the following Tuesday for the verdict was changed by the magistrate, the judge, after Williamson explained his client was due to be a guest of the Israeli government from Wednesday and would not come back 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,” stated Williamson.

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