Tommy Robinson loses bid to challenge prison segregation in High Court
Tommy Robinson has lost a bid to bring a High Court challenge over his segregation in prison.
A judge has refused permission for the far-right activist’s application for a judicial review after he brought legal proceedings against Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
The High Court was told Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was moved to a “closed” unit at Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes after intelligence suggested he “would be killed by a lifer if located on a wing”.
He was jailed for 18 months last October after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court injunction, which banned him from repeating false claims about a Syrian refugee.
Robinson was initially taken to Belmarsh prison, in southeast London, where he told staff “his conflict is with followers of Islam”.
HMP Woodhill, Milton Keynes
But he was moved to Woodhill after “a large volume of abusive and racist emails and telephone calls were received from his supporters”, according to the judgment.
They included “threats towards the (Belmarsh) governor” Jenny Louis, who is a black woman, the judge Mr Justice Chamberlain said.
Robinson’s lawyers argued his segregation was a breach of his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and has caused an “evident decline in his mental health”.
His barrister Alisdair Williamson KC said the “significant Muslim population” in Woodhill appears to be “causing a difficulty” and argued he should be moved to another jail, where he could associate with other prisoners ahead of his release on 26 July.
He said Robinson, who he described as a journalist, suffered from ADHD and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) first triggered by his solitary confinement during an earlier prison sentence.
Mr Williamson said that Robinson is worried about his mental health on his release because “he self-harms by abusing substances in order to cope with the stress caused by being held in solitary confinement”.
But Tom Cross, representing the government, said it was “not an arguable claim” and revealed details of the privileges enjoyed by Robinson, who is a Category C civil prisoner, behind bars.
Hundreds of emails, dozens of visits and 1,250 phone calls
Woodhill prison governor Nicola Marfleet said in a statement he gets three hours out of his cell every day – when he can exercise, use the gym or play recreational games such as pool – and another two hours and 45 minutes three times a week when he does painting and decorating work.
She said he has “significantly more visit time than any other prisoner”, with two hours, four times a week, in a room described as “more informal and comfortable”, where he can take in food he’s bought from the canteen.
Robinson has 120 people on his visitors list and has had 93 visits, while he can use the phone for four hours a day and has made more than 1,250 social calls.
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Robinson has a television, laptop – on which he receives emails “in their hundreds” – a CD player and a DVD player in his cell, the court heard.
He also attends a weekly bible session and has daily visits from a member of the chaplaincy team and daily visits from an NHS doctor or nurse.
‘Not solitary confinement’
In a ruling, stating Robinson’s case was “not arguable”, the judge said: “It is not accurate to refer to Mr Yaxley-Lennon’s regime as ‘solitary confinement’ at all.”
He accepted the “absence of association with other prisoners has an effect on his mental health” but said it was “not arguable that the regime as a whole gives rise to a breach” of his human rights.
In written submissions, the judge was told after his transfer to Woodhill, Robinson was identified as being of “high interest” to other prisoners and was put in a closed wing at the back of the segregation unit, which can’t be accessed by other inmates.
Intelligence reports suggested two other prisoners were plotting to attack Robinson to gain “kudos and notoriety”, and that he had a “mark on his head” and “would be killed by a lifer if located on a wing”, according to the submissions.
The governor also feared Robinson’s presence on a normal wing would “exacerbate” tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim prisoners and that he may “pose a risk by seeking to radicalise and/or influence other prisoners”, according to her statement.
A British grandmother has died after contracting rabies from a “slight scratch” from a puppy during a holiday in Morocco, her family has said.
Yvonne Ford’s daughter said she travelled to the North African country in February but did not become ill until two weeks ago.
Robyn Thomson said in a Facebook post: “Our family is still processing this unimaginable loss, but we are choosing to speak up in the hope of preventing this from happening to others.
“She was scratched very slightly by a puppy in Morocco in February. At the time, she did not think any harm would come of it and didn’t think much of it.
“Two weeks ago she became ill, starting with a headache and resulted in her losing her ability to walk, talk, sleep, swallow. Resulting in her passing.”
Yvonne Ford went to Morocco in February, her family said. Pic: Facebook
Ms Ford, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was diagnosed with the virus at Barnsley Hospital.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said health workers and close contacts were being assessed and offered vaccination when necessary.
It said there was no risk to the wider public because there is no evidence rabies can be transmitted between people.
What is rabies and how is it treated?
Rabies is caused by a virus invading the central nervous system.
It is spread by mammals – such as cats, dogs, bats, raccoons and foxes – but in the UK it’s only found in some bats, according to the NHS.
Once symptoms appear, it is almost always fatal, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The first symptoms can mirror a flu, while later symptoms include numbness or tingling in the affected area, hallucinations, anxiety, difficulty swallowing or breathing, nausea, vomiting, agitation, excessive saliva and paralysis.
But if seen to promptly after a bite, scratch or lick by an animal that may carry the virus, treatment is usually very effective at preventing the condition.
Treatment usually involves two or more doses of the rabies vaccine or a medicine called rabies immunoglobulin, which is a liquid administered to the wound and is only required if the patient has not had the rabies vaccine or has a weakened immune system.
The rabies vaccine is recommended if you’re travelling to a part of the world where rabies is more common.
Around 60,000 people die every year from rabies worldwide, with the majority in Africa and Asia, according to the WHO.
Read more about rabies, and how to avoid getting it, here.
Dr Katherine Russell at the UKHSA said: “I would like to extend my condolences to this individual’s family at this time.
“If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is found then you should wash the wound or site of exposure with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay in order to get post-exposure treatment to prevent rabies.”
The UKHSA urges travellers to rabies-affected countries, for example in Asia and Africa, to avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible and check whether a vaccination is needed before travelling.
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There have been six cases of human rabies associated with animal exposure abroad that have been reported in the UK between 2000 and 2024.
This includes a case in 2012, when a UK resident died after being bitten by a dog – the most common source of infection in most parts of the world – in South Asia.
The latest case was in 2018, when another Briton died after being bitten by a cat in Morocco.
Latest World Health Organisation figures show a number of deaths from rabies in Morocco have been reported every year from 2010 to 2022.
Rabies does not circulate in either wild or domestic animals in the UK, although some species of bats can carry a rabies-like virus. No human cases of rabies acquired in the UK from animals other than bats have been reported since 1902.
The grieving mother of a Scottish teenager who vanished for almost five weeks has told Sky News she believes a “third party” was involved in her son’s death – but police say there’s “no evidence” of that.
Cole Cooper, 19, was discovered dead in woods near Falkirk earlier this month following a missing persons inquiry his relatives don’t believe was taken seriously enough by police.
He was last seen on CCTV in May after leaving a house party, but police later revealed a former school friend had spoken to Cole a few days later nearby.
Speaking exclusively to Sky News, his mother Wendy Stewart, 42, revealed her son had “various arguments” in the days and hours before he disappeared.
Cole’s mum Wendy (L) and his aunt Aimee
In an emotional interview, she said: “He was only 19, he should never have been taken. I am never going to see him again. I never got a chance to give him a last cuddle and hold his hand.
“Someone has taken that away from me far too soon. Whether it be intentionally or unintentionally, I do believe there has been some involvement by a third party and the result is the death of Cole.”
The family, who organised a local vigil in Cole’s memory last weekend, have vowed to get “justice”.
Asked what that means, Ms Stewart told Sky News: “Finding the culprit and getting justice that way. Finding the person that is responsible for the death of my child.”
Police previously said 400 residents were spoken to during door-to-door enquiries and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV footage was collected.
The 19-year-old’s death is being treated as “unexplained”, with a top police officer saying “at this time there is no evidence of any third party involvement”.
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A vigil was held in Banknock for Cole Cooper. Pic: PA
Cole’s aunt Aimee Tennie, 32, revealed the family’s anger over the police handling of the case as they attempt to find out what happened.
She said: “We are aware of small details surrounding the weekend leading up to it with arguments. He had a few arguments over that weekend. We want the details re-examined thoroughly.”
Sky News put all of the family’s concerns and allegations to Police Scotland.
The force initially swerved our questions and responded saying: “Enquiries remain ongoing.”
In an update later on Wednesday morning, Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: “We are carrying out significant enquiries into Cole’s death, however, at this time there is no evidence of any third party involvement.
“It is vital that we establish the full circumstances leading up to Cole’s death so that we can provide some answers to his family.
“The thoughts of everyone involved in this investigation are very much with his family and friends and officers will continue to offer them support and keep them informed as our enquiries progress.”
Ms Stewart claimed the probe has been handled “shockingly” with a failure to take her son’s disappearance seriously.
The 42-year-old said: “I have had to scream and shout from rooftops to be heard by the police. I don’t think they have handled it well.
“The police really need to take accountability and listen to families, they are reporting a missing child and understand the family knows their child best.”
Cole’s loved ones still have not been told when his body will be released to allow them to lay him to rest.
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