British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been released early from prison after the High Court reduced his 18-month contempt of court sentence by four months, Al Jazeera reports.
The 42-year-old campaigner, known for his anti-Islam rhetoric and legal controversies, walked out of HMP Woodhill in Buckinghamshire on Tuesday following the court’s decision. Robinson was originally jailed in October 2024 for breaching a court injunction by repeating debunked claims about a Syrian refugee.
The injunction was issued after Robinson lost a high-profile libel case brought by Jamal Hijazi, a Syrian schoolboy who was assaulted at his Huddersfield school in 2018. Robinson had falsely accused Hijazi of violent behavior in a series of social media posts, leading to a court order requiring him to pay £100,000 in damages and legal fees.
Upon release, Robinson addressed supporters in a 20-minute video on X (formerly Twitter), appearing visibly unkempt and wearing a rosary. He expressed gratitude to tech billionaire Elon Musk for his support and sharply criticized the UK government.
Robinson had been due for release in late July, but petitioned the High Court to purge the contempt ruling. The court heard that he had violated the injunction on 10 separate occasions, including by promoting and screening Silenced, a film that repeated the false allegations, during a rally in central London.
Justice Johnson, who ruled on the appeal, noted Robinson’s prior lack of remorse but acknowledged what he described as a “change in attitude.” Robinson, the judge said, had given assurances that he would now comply with the court order. However, Johnson warned that any further breaches could lead to a two-year prison sentence.
The contempt proceedings were brought by the UK Solicitor General, who accused Robinson of intentionally defying the court’s injunction through ongoing public statements and media appearances throughout 2023.
Robinson remains a divisive figure in British politics. He has long been associated with anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim activism and has faced multiple legal actions over the years. He was widely blamed for inciting unrest during some of the country’s most significant civil disturbances in 2024, a claim he denies.
