Tommy Robinson case: EDL founder denies encouraging violence in contempt hearing as supporters heckle and jeer outside
Updates from the Old Bailey
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Tommy Robinson denied encouraging violence against defendants in a grooming trial when he gave evidence during contempt of court proceedings.
The 36-year-old former leader of the English Defence League is accused of breaching reporting restrictions by livestreaming a video on Facebook while the jury in that case was considering its verdicts.
He was arrested while still filming and was jailed for 13 months in May 2018, only to be freed on appeal because the hearing was "fundamentally flawed".
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, appeared at the Old Bailey for a new contempt hearing following an application by attorney general Geoffrey Cox.
Outside court around 200 supporters gathered around a makeshift stage in front of a double-decker bus, chanting his name and shouting "shame, shame" at journalists. The case is due to finish on Friday.
Follow updates from court as they happened in our liveblog below
Mr Furlong claims that Robinson was initially talking about media harassment of "the lad who runs Generation Identity".
He says the invitation to harassment of defendants in the Leeds trial is to the mainstream media - not Robinson's followers.
Mr Furlong continues:
The general purpose of what Mr Yaxley-Lennon is doing is part of a campaign he is advancing as to what he says is the under-reporting of the sort of conduct on trial, that is defendants principally of Asian origin engaged in sexual conduct with children.
It's not an invitation to violence, it is an observation that behaviour of this sort ought to be resisted.
Robinson's barrister says his client was making a legitimate challenge of defendants in the public eye: "His conduct may be offensive but it did not cross the line into contempt."
Robinson enters the witness box, takes the oath, and gives his full name as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
He is asked about his Facebook account, and how followers would get an alert when he posted something. Robinson talks about an algorithm that stops people seeing his posts.
He says he has 1.2m followers on Facebook worldwide.
That was quick - he is now being questioned by Andrew Caldecott QC, for the attorney general.
Robinson admits there was also filming at Huddersfield Magistrates Court for an earlier hearing involving the grooming trial defendants - which was covered by the media.
This earlier filming was referred to in his livestream at Leeds, the court hears. He says he was filmed at Huddersfield by another media organisation who were in control of the footage and may or may not have published it.
He says there was lots of journalists there (at Huddersfield) asking questions as well.
He says he can't remember whether he personally asked the defendants' questions.