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Graham Linehan Cleared of Harassment, Convicted of Phone Damage in Westminster Court

The judge said his social media posts were deeply unpleasant yet below the legal threshold for harassment, with sentencing resulting in a fine and costs.

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Irish writer and director Graham Linehan (C) arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on November 25, 2025, where a judgement is expected in his trial after he was accused of harassing a transgender activist. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
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Irish writer and director Graham Linehan reacts as he has to queue up to enter upon arrival at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on November 25, 2025, where a judgement is expected in his trial after he was accused of harassing a transgender activist. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • District Judge Briony Clarke acquitted Linehan of harassing activist Sophia (also reported as Sonia) Brooks over posts made between 11 and 27 October 2024.
  • She found him guilty of criminal damage after video showed he seized and threw Brooks’ phone outside the Battle of Ideas conference on 19 October 2024.
  • The court imposed a £500 fine, £650 in costs and a £200 surcharge, declined a restraining order, and said the offense was not a hate crime though aggravated by Brooks being 17.
  • In her judgment, Clarke deemed Linehan generally credible and said Brooks was not as alarmed or distressed as claimed, noting he rarely tagged her in the posts.
  • Prosecutors argued his online comments were repeated and abusive, while the judge emphasized the court’s role was to apply the law rather than take a side in broader gender debates.