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Legal representatives informed the court that police had reasonable suspicions indicating Tommy Robinson's phone contained material related to acts of terrorism when they stopped him in the previous year as he attempted to leave the UK.

Denial to Provide Device Password

The right-wing campaigner, using his legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, reportedly declined to hand over his phone pin to police, claiming it contained “journalistic material.” This happened after he was stopped at the Eurotunnel on 28 July 2024.

Trial Claims on Counter-Terrorism Powers

On the final day of the trial, prosecutor the prosecution argued that the anti-terror authorities used by police are designed to allow information collection. She claimed that officers had valid grounds to believe Robinson still have links to far-right activists, even after the dissolution of the EDL organization.

While his affiliation of the English Defence League has come to an end, his views have not disappeared. He is recognized for holding those views and therefore it is a reasonable suspicion to believe that on his telephone there could be data pertaining to terrorist acts,” she told the court.

The prosecutor continued, “His beliefs – to which he is allowed – were not the focus for their attention on 28 July. It was his connection to others who are potentially engaged in illegal actions.”

Circumstances of the Detention

The activist had turned up alone at the Eurotunnel in a silver Bentley belonging to a acquaintance and was on his way to the Spanish resort of Benidorm with more than £13,000 in a carry-on, the court heard.

The funds was said to have been from a collection to cover costs from organizing a major rally that took place the day before in a London landmark.

Legal Team Submissions

The defendant, who denies failing to comply with anti-terror laws during the encounter on July 28 last year, faces up to three months in jail or a potential £2,500 penalty if convicted.

His lawyer, defense counsel, said in closing submissions that anti-terror officers who detained Robinson had engaged in a “fishing expedition” and that he had been illegally held.

Citing evidence from officers who said they contacted “partner agencies” after detaining Robinson, Williamson said this was a allusion to the intelligence agencies and that no evidence had been offered from MI5 to suggest his client was a terrorist.

Williamson said the police intervention was biased” because it was based to a large extent on a protected characteristic.” He stated that the “predominant influence” on the decision to stop him was recognizing his identity”.

He noted that officers had used an “extraordinary power that needs to be carefully regulated” to try to discover details that was already known. Williamson suggested that his client traveled to Benidorm frequently, which ought to have lessened the police suspicions about him.

Expenses and Judgment Timing

Robinson claimed that his court expenses in the case were being covered by the tech billionaire, the proprietor of X and Tesla, who has appeared as an ally of the campaigner and lately spoke at a rally organized by him in London via a livestream.

A proposed date of next Tuesday for the decision was changed by the magistrate, Sam Goozee, after Williamson said his client was due to be a guest of the Israel's administration from the midweek and would not return until October 25.

{“I wouldn’t trouble you if this was a trip to Benidorm. I would ask him to rearrange it but he is a guest of a foreign government,” stated Williamson.

Goozee said he would hand down his verdict on the start of 4 November.