Tommy Robinson Out on Bail, Wins Appeal Over Contempt
Tommy Robinson is a close friend of the show, so naturally, we've been keeping tabs on one of our favorite limeys (see #FreeTommy: Pop Icon Morrissey Comes to Tommy Robinson’s Defense and US Ambassador Stands Up for Imprisoned Tommy Robinson). The basis of Tommy's story is this: Tommy live streamed a news report outside a courtroom. You aren't allowed to report news in England if you're not given permission to do so. Or so it appears. Ergo, Tommy was arrested for contempt and put in the pokey. Where he's been since May.
Whether or not he was arrested because the accused on trial were Muslim rapists, that depends on how cynical you feel like being this morning. Your call.
The good news is Tommy won his appeal.
Judges from the Court of Appeal quashed the finding and original 13-month sentence, made in May at Leeds Crown Court.Lord Chief Justice Burnett and two other judges overturned that finding on Wednesday.
They said after Mr Robinson deleted the video, there was not "sufficient urgency" to justify proceedings being taken against him.
There was also a "muddle over the nature of the contempt being considered" and "the process was flawed", the judges added.
Robinson is expected to be released from jail Wednesday afternoon. I'm sure he'll have quite the story to tell.
We're not experts on the English justice system, so it's hard to say with any reasonable certainty what tilted the scale in Tommy's favor. Was it the public outcry that Tommy had been maligned, or was the justice system really up to no good in their persecution of Tommy? If I had to wager a guess, I'd go with both. But hey, I'm just an American glad not to be in Britain. Their "legal" system is just one of many reasons.
Can't wait to hear the full report from Tommy. Can you?
