BREAKING NEWS:  TOMMY ROBINSON TRIAL DAY ONE

"in my opinion, everyone should know the faces of those charged with rape, especially if they're in the community as cab drivers, running chicken shops etc.

Men have been able to go on (raping) for years even after they're arrested"

                     Tommy Robinson Testifies At His Trial In London July 4th, 2019

The first day of what is expected to be a decisive two day trial began in London today (July 4th) for Tommy Robinson accused of contempt for live streaming outside a child sex abuse gang trial involving Muslim defendants.

The case being brought by Prime Minister Theresa May's Attorney General after court appeals resulted in legal victories for Robinson who was summarily tried by a judge in Leeds on May 25th, 2018 and sent to prison for more than two months until his appeal could be heard.

Robinson posted a video today from outside the court.....

TOMMY ROBINSON SPEAKS ABOUT TRIAL JULY 4, 2019

This is video of Robinson arriving outside the court and speaking to supporters with his speech at around 10 minutes in:

TOMMY ROBINSON ARRIVES AT OLD BAILEY COURT JULY 4, 2019

Ezra Levant of "Rebel Media" tweeted a detailed account of the courtroom proceeding as it happened today.

EZRA LEVANT TWITTER FEED WITH DETAILED ACCOUNT OF COURTROOM ACTIVITY AT TRIAL


A rally went on outside the courtroom during the day and Sputnik provided a live stream lasting more than four hours....


SPUTNIK LIVE STREAM OUTSIDE OLD BAILEY COURT IN LONDON


Inside the Old Bailey today arguments were heard and witnesses called followed by Tommy Robinson himself taking the stand before the lunch time break.

Andrew Caldecott represents the government of Prime Minister Theresa May and her Attorney General bringing the prosecution while Richard Furlong is defending Tommy.

The first witness was Michelle Dunderdale, operations manager of the court in Leeds.  Dunderdale testified she was on leave from work May 25th, 2018 and Robinson's lawyer asked if the system for notifying people about a publication ban in the child sex abuse trial was working that day.

She said:

"It failed"

Dunderdale noted that no notice of a publication ban was posted online, at the door of the courtroom or on a video screen inside the courthouse.

Another court official, Anthony Walton, then testified.   Furlong asked about notes that Walton wrote days after May 25th to recall what happened.   The notes said to be locked up somewhere.

Walton said that if asked about a reporting restriction he would send the inquirer elsewhere.

Defense lawyer Furlong argued that Tommy Robinson's live stream from the courthouse was reporting in the "public domain" not in violation of any publication ban and countered Caldecott's argument that Tommy acts as a "vigilante".

Furlong said that Tommy Robinson's calls for mainstream media to cover the "grooming trials" were not calls for violence as contended by Caldecott.

After brief questioning from Furlong,  Tommy Robinson was cross examined by the prosecuting attorney, Mr. Caldecott.

Robinson told Caldecott he learned about the trial while visiting a Sikh temple in Huddersfield to attend a presentation on preventing "grooming" by gangs.

"....You know these defendants resented being filmed?.."

was a question posed to Tommy by Caldecott.

Robinson noted that he was aware of reporting ban in an earlier trial because he was told by the family member of one of the victims.

He also noted the steps taken at court as he sought out information about any publication ban in effect that day and training he had received from a law firm on "contempt of court" in regards to publication bans.

Defense lawyer Furlong argued any questions shouted at the convicted child molesters as they entered court for sentencing that day during the live stream were in the robust traditions of a free press.

Questioning continued in the afternoon following a lunch break.

Prosecuting lawyer Caldecott asking about Tommy's agreeing with a passerby in the live stream who called the accused child molesters "bastards" and Tommy responding that he had talked about the notion of innocent until proven guilty regarding the defendants in his live stream as well.

Robinson told Caldecott he wanted the public to see the faces of those accused because they were still working in places like a chicken shop where rapes had occurred.

One other aspect of the questioning of Tommy Robinson by the prosecuting lawyer was about arguments he made in his defense during the appeals process and inconsistencies in the appeals.

Robinson noted he was only allowed two 40 minute meetings with his lawyers during the two months plus of his imprisonment hampering his legal defense.

After Tommy Robinson left the stand, Caldecott continued with a review of and arguments regarding reporting restriction cases in the UK.    He said that courts have the power to ban publication of information even if it is in the "public domain".

One argument he made towards the end of the day was that Robinson was encouraging viewers of his live stream to act as vigilantes and that the rape defendants "resented" being on Tommy Robinson's video.

As the court session closed for the day Caldecott indicated he wanted to make more arguments for the prosecution tomorrow.

The judge cautioned Tommy Robinson about discussing the case outside the court room since he may be recalled to testify tomorrow.

The trial expected to wrap up tomorrow.

Tommy Robinson spoke to the rally outside the Old Bailey court building noting that the mainstream media should be with him instead of against him because his case is a freedom of the press case...LINK

Ezra Levant of  "Rebel Media" reports with his assessment that the case against Tommy is weak and "embarrassing"....LINK

Additional Video Links:


EZRA LEVANT OF REBEL MEDIA WITH TOMMY ROBINSON


JESSICA SWIETONIOWSKI WITH TOMMY ROBINSON ON WHAT'S AT STAKE IN THE TRIAL

(POST UPDATED AND FINAL AS OF 1235 PM EASTERN TIME US THURSDAY JULY 4TH)