Graham Linehan arrested on arrival at Heathrow Part 4

[IDareSay]

These threads have mostly been used to follow the case that has taken place at Westminster Magistrate's Court over the 4th and 5th September, (and will continue on the 29th October), but were created to follow the fallout of Graham's arrest at Heathrow on his return to the UK for this court case last week, and what is allegedly a conspiracy of TRAs to intimidate and harass a number of people, including Graham, with the alleged support of various police services.

He is currently on trial for alleged harassment of a trans identified male and criminal damage to the man's phone. The charges stem from a series of events in October 2024 at Battle of Ideas.

Part 1 here
Part 2 here
Part 3 here
Graham's account of the arrest here
You can support his Substack here
Or buy him a coffee here

Free Speech Union are running a fundraiser to support a claim against the Met in reference to the Heathrow arrest. Just search FSU and Graham Linehan fundraiser and it should be easy to find. At the time of posting it has reached 64% of its stretch target.
The FSU have managed to get the bail condition that @Glinner must not post on X removed, so he is now freely posting on there again.

Most of the mainstream media have reported on the case, but none have covered it as well as Nick Wallis. Follow him on X for live posting from the court again on 29th October.
You can support Nick here (posted Friday 5th September):
"I am deeply grateful to everyone who has seen fit to bung me the cost of a coffee, a pint or even a bloody London pint since I found out I was able to come back today. If you think you can afford to make a small donation, there’s more info here:"
https://store29806256.company.site

There are effectively two cases.

There was the existing case which will be back in court next week

And there was a new case which was started by his arrest at Heathrow on his return to defend himself in the first case.

This second case has now been dropped as it's bollocks but the original one still remains.

Ok thanks

I looked at the footage of the event.

You do realise that Sophia just looks like another man getting a thrill from intimidating women?

I think during the first part of the hearing, there were questions surrounding Sophia's previous names and actual age. Sophia's age is material, I think, as Sophia has been described by some as "a teenage girl" and therefore made to sound vulnerable when faced with a middle-aged male like Graham. When we know Sophia is taller than the average man and happy to use Sophia's size to intimidate women.

I can't wait to hear if there have been developments

Yes, Glinner has a theory that Sophia has been 18 for several years. Certainly seems to have been on the TRA scene quite a while for a teenager.

Previous names have not come out, but I imagine there are people curious to find out Sophia's background. I disapprove of doxxing on principle, but it's a danger when you've got a complainant who seems to have gone to great lengths to conceal basic data about himself.

Yes I didn't mean doxxing but the court doing a bit of digging extra due diligence, seeing that there are concerns about untruthfulness.

I look at this case and think about the recent acquittal of the Australian footballer Sam Kerr. While we can't know why the jury acquitted her, we can guess at it because her defence as run by her barrister wasn't so much that she was innocent as that it wasn't a matter that warranted a prosecution. The situation here seems the same: Linehan probably is guilty... but why is the court's time being wasted on this silly spat? My question is this: can a magistrate discharge/acquit on a similar basis?

Doesnt sound like this is a jury trial. I dont think a magistrate can acquit on that basis but they could acquit if they feel there is not sufficient evidence that Graham actually damaged the phone that was claimed for or that the damage was not consistent with the action claimed to have damaged it.

But presumably the magistrate could decide that pushing a phone out of someone’s hand was a reasonable response to the constant provocation of having a phone thrust in your face?

All police forces will stop recording NCHIs:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/dce4c67c-ce9f-4907-935a-a86c2bafff07?shareToken=3ea0ec6d4b4636b1bf405db869aade56

https://x.com/WomensRightsNet/status/1980372758941860244

It is vital that we continue to record and gather intelligence around hate and monitor community tensions, as we remain vigilant to precursors to violence and other more serious crimes.”

Unless they are death and rape threats posted by TRAs of course.

Just what is a reasonable reaction to someone persistently pushing a phone in your face while filming and blocking you?

I don’t think throwing the phone across the road is unreasonable under those circumstances. Better than a smack in the mouth.

Not sure why anyone would imagine they are entitled to act like an aggressive little shit towards other people going about their business, and then cry about any repercussions.

What did he expect??

So a ‘reasonable conduct’ defence, @nutmeg7?

Why does this scene from Twilight come to mind?

Absolutely. I haven't seen footage of Sophia and Graham together, but I saw another video linked from one of these threads where Sophia is filming a woman and dodging round her lifting his phone up and down and round the side of her as she tries to block the filming. I thought, well if Sophia did the same to Graham, he did it to a bloke who is bigger and crosser than him and Sophia got what was coming to him. FAFO.

Update from Graham on X and a useful reminder that his case continues tomorrow:

"Due to some annoying last minute travel problems I have to attend the last part of my trial by video link tomorrow. Apologies to anyone who was coming along!"

Good to know, thank you for the update!

And Nick Wallis will be there and live tweeting again.

Witnesses are gathering:

https://x.com/JournalismSEEN/status/1983473559294062667

For those who can't follow on X, I'll post Nick Wallis's tweets as they come in for the first hour or so this morning:

NW

Welcome to Westminster Magistrates Court in Central London where we are assembled for what might be the final day of Rex v Graham Linehan.

I am going to attempt to live tweet proceedings but the connection is not great. Graham Linehan (GL) is attending from the US via videolink. GL is accused of harassment and criminal damage against a trans activist called Sophia Brooks (SB).

NW

The trial was only due to last two days (4 and 5 September), but overran - hence this extra day. We are in court - there are around 10 people on the press bench and a similar number in the public gallery.

I have been told my application for certain documents from the trial bundle is being put back to the end of the day and no decision will be made about that today.