Tommy Robinson – Guilty!

The David Vance BriefingRead More

I wasn’t surprised but was still sickened when the news came in that Tommy Robinson was found guilty on both charges of harassment at his trial in Southwark Crown Court. It was obvious from the start of this trial that the State was going to once again make an example out of Tommy.

The French have a term for this – Pour encourager les autres

The jury returned a majority verdict of 10-2 after deliberating for almost 12 hours. I understand that the jury had nine women on it and three men. Robinson was released on bail and will be sentenced on 16th December, just in time for Christmas.

That poor man, we can but imagine how this must make him feel.

As I wrote the other day, the crime he has been found to have committed carries a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment per count. So in theory he could be sent to prison for 20 years. However, Sentencing Guidelines for this type of harassment give a range of sentences from a fine up to 8 years’ custody.

Factors that would push a higher-end sentence would include the impact on the victims, the two Daily Mail journalists. As was reported, one felt he had to move house and the other needed additional protection. So that doesn’t look great. Tommy’s other convictions will also be considered along with his social media impact on the journalists. All of this does not guarantee a custodial sentence, of course, but it would seem inevitable.

So it looks as if Tommy Robinson will spend this Christmas behind bars.

Get 33% off for 3 months

I have no idea how he withstands this psychological torture, and it speaks to his strength.

Almost as bad as the verdict is that this now establishes legal precedent as regards online “harassment”. It means that anyone who criticises public figures online is now potentially liable for the same punishment as Robinson. After all, the legal definition of “harassment” is notoriously vague and those with deep pockets and with Establishment backing can now seek refuge in the Courts if they feel that they have been placed in any danger by hurty words. That’s an unhealthy development which limits free expression.

Free speech is also in the dock after this decision. Is there anybody reading this who can now be confident that if they choose to take issue with any establishment figure or organisation, and they say something mildly injudicious, that the long arm of the law might also come for them?

Look, I have frequently said that Tommy Robinson’s weak point is his overreaction to some circumstances. It’s not that this isn’t warranted and justified but that it gives the State a hostage to fortune which they will mercilessly exploit. Tommy Robinson is just a working-class man from a humble background who has proven a Goliath in standing up for the many victims of Muslim rape gangs. His “Unite the Kingdom” movement has a Christian ethos, attracts the support of hundreds of thousands of patriots and thus constitutes a threat to this Labour cabal.

Scenes like this are only possible because of Tommy’s magnetism.