Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has launched a fresh legal appeal to reduce his 18-month prison sentence, arguing that his time in segregation is worsening his mental health.

The 42-year-old was jailed in October 2024 after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court injunction, which banned him from repeating false claims about Syrian refugee Jamal Hijazi—the subject of a 2020 libel case Robinson lost.

Segregation Causing “Deteriorating Health,” Lawyers Say

Appearing via video link from HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Robinson’s legal team argued on Friday that the conditions of his confinement—particularly his prolonged isolation—are having a “demonstrable effect” on his wellbeing.

His barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, told the Court of Appeal that Robinson suffers from ADHD and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which, when combined with segregation, has led to a deterioration in his mental health.

“He is being kept safe by the authorities in segregation,” Williamson said, “but being kept safe is making him ill — and more ill than Mr Justice Johnson could have foreseen.”

Williamson argued that new evidence about his client’s psychological condition and prison experience justified a reduction in sentence, beyond the four-month reduction already applied by the sentencing judge.

From Belmarsh to Woodhill — and Into Isolation

Robinson was initially held at HMP Belmarsh, where he was moved after reportedly clashing with Muslim inmates on his first day. Due to threats to his safety at Woodhill, prison authorities placed him in a segregated wing inaccessible to other prisoners.

A previous legal challenge by Robinson over the segregation failed, but this new appeal centres on whether his sentence should be cut due to the unforeseen mental toll of his confinement.

Government Pushes Back

Aidan Eardley KC, representing the Solicitor General, strongly opposed the appeal. In written submissions, he said the sentence carried both a punitive and coercive element — with the coercive part designed to encourage Robinson’s future compliance with the court order.

“He remains defiantly in breach of the order,” Eardley said. “He is asking for the court’s indulgence without any sign of compliance.”

Eardley also dismissed the argument that prison conditions were harsher than expected, adding:

“There is no legal basis to argue that unforeseen conditions imposed by prison authorities justify a reduced sentence.”

He noted that Robinson “accepts he has a TV” in segregation, but “complains he cannot watch GB News” — a comment that drew raised eyebrows in court.

Courtroom Drama

During the hearing, Robinson held up a handwritten sign to the video camera, accusing the governor of HMP Woodhill of lying. The presiding judge, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, swiftly responded:

“We will ignore that, thank you very much indeed.”

Background: The Original Case

The High Court injunction stemmed from a 2020 libel ruling after Robinson falsely accused Jamal Hijazi, then a teenager, of attacking schoolgirls. The claims followed a viral video of Hijazi being assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield in 2018.

Robinson was ordered to pay £100,000 in damages to Hijazi and refrain from repeating the allegations. However, in 2023, Robinson was found to have knowingly breached the order — including by publishing a film titled Silenced and repeating the claims in public and online.

What’s Next?

The Court of Appeal, consisting of Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Edis, and Lord Justice Warby, will deliver their ruling on Robinson’s appeal at a later date.

For now, Robinson remains in custody and is currently set for release on July 26, 2025.