Update On Tommy Robinson & the Finsbury Park Mosque case

Due to the number of requests I have received for clarification of whether there were direct Twitter messages between Tommy Robinson and the defendant in this case, Mr Osborne, I can update on the actions myself and Mr Stephen Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) carried out yesterday and the outcome so far.

On Monday, it was reported by the press that the Crown Prosecution Service opening statement to the jury included reference to direct contact between Tommy Robinson and Mr Osborne. The Crown Prosecution Service had not made any contact with Mr Lennon to inform him that he was to be used as part of the prosecution case.

Yesterday morning the reporters who were live reporting from court reported that the court had been told that Tommy Robinson had sent direct messages to Mr Osborne and that these were via twitter. Mr Lennon denies that he sent any direct Twitter messages to Mr Osborne, and I made contact with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Attorney General’s Office to express concerns about what has been reported in the press about Mr Lennon’s involvement with Mr Osborne.

Yesterday afternoon, the reporters in court stated that the prosecutor had clarified with the press that there were no direct Twitter messages between Tommy Robinson and Mr Osborne, and at most Mr Osborne received a generic email sent out to all subscribers to a Rebel TV database.

I am now in the process of ascertaining whether the misrepresentation of the situation was made by the prosecution or the press, this will take some time.

In the meantime, I request that any comments made on social media are mindful of the fact that the trial is continuing. Mr Lennon has no intention of interfering with the administration of justice but clearly he is entitled to correct the inaccurate information reported in the press about him.

Alison Gurden

Barrister