‘Tommy Robinson’, real name Stephen Lennon, has spent years spreading division, targeting Muslim communities, and presenting himself as a victim. HOPE not hate has been at the forefront of investigating and bringing Lennon to justice.
Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Lennon, has spent years spreading division, targeting Muslim communities, and presenting himself as a victim.
This page sets out the facts: his history, criminal record, networks, funding and latest activity. Need to understand Tommy Robinson? Start here.
2005 – He was jailed for 12 months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault with intent to resist arrest, for which he received a concurrent term of three months.
2010 – He was arrested for assaulting a police officer during clashes on Armistice Day alongside five other EDL members and two men from Muslims Against Crusades.
2011 – He was fined £3000 for a demonstration in Zurich where he climbed onto the roof of FIFA’s headquarters.
2011 – He was convicted of assault for an attack at an EDL march in Blackburn where he headbutted someone. He was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months.
2011 – He was found guilty of leading a brawl that included 100 Luton Town football fans into a fight with Newport County fans and was given a suspended 12-month prison sentence and banned from Luton football matches for 3 years.
2011 – He was arrested after an EDL demonstration in Tower Hamlets in September for a breach of bail conditions.
2013 – He was jailed for 10 months for travelling to the USA on his friend’s passport.
2014 – He was sentenced to prison for 18 months for committing mortgage fraud with the crime dating back to 2009. After pleading guilty in November 2013 to committing £160,000 worth of mortgage fraud
2017 – He was charged with contempt of court and convicted after filming inside Canterbury Crown Court and was sentenced to three months imprisonment.
2018 – He was again arrested and found guilty of contempt of court after Facebook live streaming outside Leeds Crown Court for an hour despite their being reporting restrictions on the case. Following various appeals he was jailed for nine months at the Old Bailey in July 2019.
2020 – He was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a man he claims spat in his face.
2020 – He was arrested for breaking coronavirus restrictions at a rally in London.
2020 – He was banned from all football matches for four years after he assaulted a football fan in Portugal in 2019.
2021 – Found to have libelled a 15 year old refugee.
2021 – He was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of stalking a couple and was given a five-year ban from contacting them or referring to them.
2023 – He lost his appeal against the stalking ban order, having admitted that the allegations he made were false.
2025 – He was charged with harassment causing fear of violence against two Daily Mail journalists back in August 2024. The trial is scheduled for 16 October 2026.
Tommy Robinson regularly claims that he is not racist, even challenging journalists to provide evidence that he is. Here is just a fraction of the evidence that proves he is:
Quick video explainers you can watch and pass on.
The definitive account of how Stephen Lennon built a career from hate, grievance and self-promotion. Based on extensive research and exclusive access to former insiders, Nick Lowles’ TOMMY reveals the reality behind one of Britain’s most notorious far-right figures.
We rely on supporters like you to investigate extremism, expose dangerous figures like Tommy Robinson and hold them to account. Without that backing, this work would not be possible. If you can, help us keep going.
