Tommy Robinson 'suffering' in solitary confinement in prison after threats to his life, court told

Tommy Robinson's lawyers say his mental health is suffering after being segregated in a "closed wing" in jail due to threats on his life from other prisoners looking to gain "kudos".

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court after breaching an injunction.

His barristers told the High Court that he should be allowed to bring a legal challenge over his segregation at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, after suffering an “evident decline in his mental health”.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is opposing the bid, saying Robinson was isolated following threats to his safety, including that he would be assaulted by other prisoners for “kudos”.

In written submissions, Tom Cross, for the MoJ, said that after being sentenced in October last year, Robinson was admitted to HMP Belmarsh, but “on his first day he stated he had a conflict with followers of Islam”.

He was then moved to HMP Woodhill on 1 November, but the prison received intelligence over threats to Robinson, which resulted in him being moved to a “closed wing which cannot be accessed by other prisoners”.

Mr Cross said: “HMP Woodhill received several intelligence reports showing a non-speculative risk to the claimant, including that two other prisoners at HMP Woodhill were plotting to assault the claimant to gain kudos and notoriety, and that the claimant had a ‘mark on his head’ and would be killed by a lifer if located on a wing.”

Mr Cross said that Robinson remained on the “closed wing” but that “this is ultimately an interim position” until he can be moved to a different wing, which is undergoing repairs.

He continued: “The significant risks both to the claimant’s own safety and to the good order or discipline of the prison required him to remain removed from association with other prisoners, subject to review.”

Mr Cross also said that Robinson’s segregation was “more permissive” than usual, including having access to a laptop, being able to send and receive emails “in their thousands”, and having access to gym facilities for three hours a day.

Robinson was jailed in October last year by Mr Justice Johnson, after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court order made in 2021.

The order barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

He is set to be released from HMP Woodhill on 26 July and appeared from prison on Thursday via video link in a grey jumper.

'Destroying my mind'

His barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, said that in February Robinson asked to be moved to open prison, stating: “The solitary confinement is destroying my mind.”

Robinson continued: “I am terrified of the long-term consequences of the continued solitary confinement. I feel I am being provoked to react. I want to leave prison mentally well, not mentally broken.”

Robinson said in a separate complaint, also made last month, that he felt the “continued isolation” was “politically motivated because of my activism and beliefs”.

Mr Williamson said: “We accept that there was and perhaps is a threat to the claimant at HMP Woodhill which justified the original decision to segregate him.

“So our focus is the secretary of state giving them leave to continue that process in the face of a decline, an evident decline, in his mental health.”

He continued: “We are presented with a position that Woodhill is not a safe place for him to be unless he is in segregation, but that segregation is, we suggest, harming him.”

Mr Williamson told the court that HMP Woodhill has “a significant Muslim population”, adding that “it appears to be that which is causing a difficulty”.

The barrister continued that Robinson should be moved to a different prison “where he does not have to be kept in isolation”.

At the end of Thursday’s hearing, Mr Justice Chamberlain said he would need to “reflect” on the arguments overnight but aimed to give a decision in writing on Friday.

He said: “I hope to be able to give you notice of that decision tomorrow.

“It may not be first thing tomorrow but hopefully at some point tomorrow, and that decision can be handed down electronically without the need for anybody to attend.”

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