Tommy Robinson case: EDL founder denies encouraging violence in contempt hearing as supporters heckle and jeer outside
Updates from the Old Bailey
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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
The hearing restarts with more questions for Robinson about the morning he livestreamed from outside Leeds Crown Court. Mr Caldecott, for the attorney general, wants to know about the measures he took to check whether there were reporting restrictions on the case.
Robinson says he asked a member of staff and sent his friend inside to look at the screen outside the courtroom.
He accepts that this wasn't said to the judge who found him in contempt of court, even in mitigation. He said he had "given up" during the contempt hearing, adding: "I believed I would be killed in prison, I didn't think I was going to be released... I was writing letters to my children, I didn't think I was getting out of there."
Robinson insists he was not assuming the guilt of the defendants during his Facebook Live video. The film shows him asking two of them how they felt about the verdicts, at a time when the jury were still considering the case.
"I said at least six times they were innocent until proven guilty," he adds.
In another section a voice is heard saying "dirty bastards", and Robinson replied: "Yeah."
"You agree with the description of them as dirty bastards," says Mr Caldecott.
Robinson says that he thought that because of the way the defendants made "vulgar" comments about his wife and mother.
Robinson is asked why he made comments about the media not reporting the case when he knew there might be a reporting restriction in place.
He says that wouldn't affect photographs of the defendants and refers to the media harassing him, following him and taking photographs after his release from prison. "I am not accused of heinous crimes," he says.
Robinson tells the court he was talking about the media harassing and following people and was not urging his followers to do it to the defendants in the grooming trial.
"At no point am I encouraging violence," he says.
Mr Caldecott suggests that Robinson never checked the reporting restrictions before he livestreamed outside court.
"That's incorrect," Robinson replies.
That's the last question to Robinson from the barrister representing the attorney general.
Robinson's barrister has shown the prosecution photographs which are said to be of TV screens at Leeds Crown Court.
Mr Caldecott says some of them were clearly not taken before the livestreaming video but will have to return to the issue tomorrow.
Robinson is now leaving the witness box.
After a five minute "comfort break", the hearing will turn to a thrilling discussion of the law relating to contempt of court.