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Graham Linehan convicted of damaging teen activist’s phone, acquitted of harassment in London court

07:59 AM, 11/26/2025
Graham Linehan convicted of damaging teen activist’s phone, acquitted of harassment in London court

Verdict overview: Graham Linehan was convicted of criminal damage for knocking a 17‑year‑old activist’s phone out of her hand and fined a total of £1,350 in London. The court acquitted him of criminal harassment, with the judge ruling his social media posts were "unattractive" but not criminally harassing. The judge questioned parts of the complainant’s testimony and described Linehan as generally credible, while the activist expressed satisfaction with the partial conviction.

Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan was found guilty of criminal damage after knocking a teenage activist’s mobile phone from her hand outside a London event, but a magistrate cleared him of criminal harassment over his social media posts.

At Westminster Magistrates' Court, District Judge Briony Clarke heard that Linehan deliberately struck 17‑year‑old Sophia Brooks’ phone during an encounter outside the Battle of Ideas conference. The court ordered Linehan to pay a £500 fine, £650 in costs and a £200 victim surcharge for criminal damage.

Prosecutors had alleged that Linehan mounted a sustained campaign of abusive posts about Brooks on social media, using terms that included "sociopath," "psycho," "domestic terrorist" and "groomer." The judge concluded these messages were "unattractive, annoying and irritating" but did not meet the criminal threshold for harassment, saying they were not sufficiently "oppressive or unacceptable."

Judge Clarke also said she did not accept parts of Brooks’ testimony about how alarmed or distressed she was by the messages and found that Brooks "was not giving entirely truthful evidence" at trial. By contrast, the judge described Linehan as "generally a credible witness."

Outside court, Linehan framed the verdict as a rebuke to what he described as attempts by a network of men to "bully women and girls and to misuse the courts and police in furtherance of a misogynistic agenda," and said he would continue to speak out. Brooks issued a statement reposted by campaigner Stephanie Hayden expressing satisfaction with the partial conviction and calling Linehan a "thug."

Separately, Linehan was arrested at London Heathrow in September over earlier social media posts critical of transgender activists; that separate investigation was later closed after Crown prosecutors decided no further action was warranted. The criminal damage conviction from this trial remains on Linehan’s record.

Key facts:

  • Offence: Criminal damage for knocking a 17‑year‑old’s phone from her hand.
  • Sentence: £500 fine, £650 costs, £200 surcharge (total £1,350).
  • Harassment charge: Acquitted — judge found social posts did not meet the legal standard for harassment.

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