Graham Linehan tells court trans activists made his life ‘hell’

Ian YoungsCulture reporter andSam Harrison & Helena WilkinsonBBC NewsPA MediaGraham Linehan has pleaded not responsible to harassment and legal damageGraham Linehan has instructed a courtroom his life has been “made hell” by transgender activists, together with one who he’s accused of harassing.Giving proof on the second day of his trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket on Friday, Mr Linehan mentioned: “Trans activists have spent the final 10 years demonising anybody who stands as much as them.”The prosecution alleges Mr Linehan “relentlessly” posted abusive feedback about Sophia Brooks, 18, on social media final October, earlier than throwing her telephone in a highway.The Father Ted co-creator has pleaded not responsible to expenses of harassment and legal harm.Mr Linehan instructed the courtroom his “life was made hell by activists, by journalists” due to his views about gender id, and the trial is “simply the most recent try and punish me by course of”.He mentioned: “Anybody can choose themselves into that [transgender] group… predatory males are doing that, and police are doing their bidding… the police consider them at their each phrase.”The Irish comedy author added: “I heard about how sure individuals who had been being focused by him [the complainant]. I am in a bunch of eight individuals now who’ve suffered numerous types of harassment.”Mr Linehan described the complainant as “misogynistic”, “abusive” and a “bully” and mentioned he needed to “destroy” the activist’s on-line anonymity.”I felt he was capable of get away with plenty of his actions as a result of he was virtually like a Twitter avatar floating round with no actual connection to the earth,” he instructed the courtroom.District Choose Briony Clarke mentioned the prosecution addressed the complainant in line with their “affirmed gender identify”, whereas the defendant’s place was that the “complainant is male”.On Thursday, the trial heard that Mr Linehan posted messages on social media calling the complainant – whom he known as Tarquin – a “deeply disturbed sociopath” and a “home terrorist”.Requested on Friday why he used “sociopath”, Mr Linehan replied: “As a result of the issues he was concerned in brought about nice distress to individuals.”Requested why he used different insults together with “scumbag, grooming, homophobic, sadist”, Mr Linehan replied: “I do not suppose there’s something decrease than a person who bullies a girl.”Mr Linehan denied a suggestion from the prosecution that he had “turn out to be a bit obsessive about Ms Brooks”.Requested if he supposed to incite any violent motion, Mr Linehan replied: “No, as a result of the violence and toxicity within the trans debate comes completely from the trans aspect.”Mr Linehan additionally mentioned his marriage had damaged down after critics “went after my spouse” and revealed he had moved to Arizona, USA, from the UK six months in the past after being “remoted” due to his views.”And while I used to be remoted, the press… had been capable of beat me up at the hours of darkness. That is been taking place for in regards to the final eight years. And I selected to depart the UK.”Second Graham Linehan seems to seize telephone of trans activistProsecutors have mentioned Mr Linehan harassed Ms Brooks on social media, accusing her of a “homophobic assault” by being concerned within the disruption of an LGB Alliance convention on 11 October 2024 when hundreds of reside crickets had been launched.His messages had been “not merely irritating or annoying, however moderately oppressive and unacceptable, thereby crossing the edge into harassment”, Julia Faure Walker, for the prosecution, mentioned on Thursday.Mr Linehan can also be accused of damaging Ms Brooks’s telephone when she tried to confront him outdoors the Battle of Concepts convention in London on 19 October final yr.The prosecution alleged that Mr Linehan “intentionally whacked” Ms Brooks’s telephone out of her hand after she filmed him whereas difficult him over his earlier posts.A video performed to the courtroom appeared to point out Mr Linehan grabbing the complainant’s telephone.In his proof, Mr Linehan mentioned the complainant was “invading my private area” on the occasion, and was being “extremely annoying and protracted”.”My adrenaline was up. I felt indignant,” he mentioned. “I took his telephone, put it behind my again. I may see he was livid. Then I threw the telephone.”He did not need to harm the telephone, he mentioned. “I did not slam it, I simply skimmed it. It was instinctive. As quickly as I did it I assumed, that was a mistake.”There have been heated exchanges throughout cross-examination when Mr Linehan demanded to know whether or not the prosecutor thought the complainant “is a feminine”.At one level, the choose referred to as for a break as a result of “the warmth in right here has risen, and I do not simply imply the temperature”.After the conclusion of Friday’s proof, the case was adjourned till 29 October, with Mr Linehan launched on bail.This trial isn’t related to the allegations that led to Mr Linehan’s much-publicised arrest at Heathrow Airport on Monday.He mentioned he was met by 5 armed officers over messages he had beforehand posted about trans individuals on X, sparking a backlash from some public figures and politicians, and inflaming a fierce debate about policing and free speech.In that case, he was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence, and has been bailed “pending additional investigation”.