Graham Linehan’s long, punishing clash with gender-identity activists has taken yet another turn. After years of being hounded, blacklisted, and professionally destroyed for speaking out on what he argued were material, sex-based realities, the Father Ted co-creator has now been cleared of harassing a teenage trans activist online, though Westminster Magistrates’ Court convicted him of damaging her phone.
The case stems from an incident outside a gender-identity conference in London last October, where Graham’s path collided with 18-year-old Sophia Brooks, a trans woman born male. The court heard that Graham “deliberately whacked” her phone from her hand before it landed in the road. Graham denied this was intentional, insisting it was a “reflex response” as Brooks filmed him aggressively at close range.
Prosecutors attempted to paint Graham as a relentless online pursuer, claiming he had posted abusive comments about Brooks across social media platforms. Yet on Tuesday the judge dismissed all harassment allegations, ruling that Graham’s posts, while critical and uncompromising, did not cross the threshold into criminal harassment. It is a rare institutional acknowledgement that criticising gender-identity ideology, or calling out activists’ behaviour, is not in itself a crime.
The case stems from an incident outside a gender-identity conference in London last October, where Graham’s path collided with 18-year-old Sophia Brooks, a trans woman born male. The court heard that Graham “deliberately whacked” her phone from her hand before it landed in the road. Graham denied this was intentional, insisting it was a “reflex response” as Brooks filmed him aggressively at close range.
Prosecutors attempted to paint Graham as a relentless online pursuer, claiming he had posted abusive comments about Brooks across social media platforms. Yet on Tuesday the judge dismissed all harassment allegations, ruling that Graham’s posts, while critical and uncompromising, did not cross the threshold into criminal harassment. It is a rare institutional acknowledgement that criticising gender-identity ideology, or calling out activists’ behaviour, is not in itself a crime.
Continue @ Labour Heartlands.
No comments