Tommy Robinson released from prison after nine weeks

Tommy Robinson has been released from jail two months after being given a nine-month sentence for contempt of court.
Tommy Robinson pictured before serving his most recent prison sentence. (Photo: P.A. Wire)Tommy Robinson pictured before serving his most recent prison sentence. (Photo: P.A. Wire)
Tommy Robinson pictured before serving his most recent prison sentence. (Photo: P.A. Wire)

The founder of the English Defence League had a beard and uncut hair as he spoke to supporters and the media outside Belmarsh prison in south-east London on Friday morning.

He denied he had been attacked in prison, and claimed he was kept in solitary confinement.

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Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, said: "I have walked into Belmarsh prison and walked back out without seeing another prisoner.

Tommy Robinson pictured before serving his most recent prison sentence. (Photo: P.A. Wire)Tommy Robinson pictured before serving his most recent prison sentence. (Photo: P.A. Wire)
Tommy Robinson pictured before serving his most recent prison sentence. (Photo: P.A. Wire)

"They would have (killed me)."

He said he had been sent 14 sacks of mail from supporters while in prison.

Robinson was locked up in July for live-streaming on Facebook a video which featured defendants in a sexual exploitation trial and put the case at risk of collapse.

Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Warby found him in contempt in three respects.

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They concluded that he was in contempt by breaching the reporting restriction imposed on the trial, by live-streaming the video from outside the public entrance to the court, and by "aggressively confronting and filming" some of the defendants.