I am at Westminster Magistrates court sitting directly across the courtroom from Graham Linehan who is sitting in the dock, about to stand trial for harassment and damaging a camera. That is @sharrond62 in the photo who has arrived to support @Glinner
Linehan has confirmed his name and DOB. Court is discussing a bit of trial management atmo. This is going to be a two day trial with two witnesses for the prosecution (the complainant) and a police officer and five for the defence - three of whom can only appear tomorrow.
Judge has risen for 20 mins so CPS barrister can talk to the complainant. Sarah Vine KC is representing Linehan.
Anya Palmer is sitting on one of the rear benches. Linehan has now been told he can leave the dock and sit in court. Whether he'll have to go back in when the judge returns is not clear.
I seem to have a semi-decent mobile signal now but it was dropping out earlier. Will try to live tweet. Sadly I cannot be here tomorrow. Not sure if anyone else is live-tweeting, but the courtroom is packed with hacks.
The public gallery is dotted with GC activists and a few people who look like they might be supporting the complainant (Sophia Brooks). Looks like the @Telegraph is live-blogging this telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/0…
Usual disclaimer for live-tweeting applies - my tweets are summaries and/or characterisations of what is happening/being said. Nothing is a direct quote unless it is in "direct quotes".
J = judge
C = complainant AND/OR SB - Sophia Brooks (depending on how referred to in court)
D= Defendant AND/OR L = Linehan
SV = Sarah Vine KC for L
JFW = Julia Faure Walker for SB
C = complainant AND/OR SB - Sophia Brooks (depending on how referred to in court)
D= Defendant AND/OR L = Linehan
SV = Sarah Vine KC for L
JFW = Julia Faure Walker for SB
I know I'm getting old, but I did think the judge (District Judge Briony Clarke) looked very young. She is! Turns out in 2017 she became the youngest woman ever to become a judge:
thetimes.com/uk/law/article…
thetimes.com/uk/law/article…
Judge has returned. There are tech problems now with the CVP (the court remote access system).
Whilst we're waiting... judiciary.uk/in-conversatio…
Whilst we're waiting... judiciary.uk/in-conversatio…
Judge has risen whilst they try to sort the tech problems. This being a magistrates court there is no jury making a decision in this case.
Although we are eating up time a large part of the case which the judge was going to have to hear submissions on has now apparently been agreed between the parties, so it's pretty relaxed.
Linehan is back in the dock talking to Anya Palmer.
Thorin waits...
L sitting in the dock, arms folded. Nothing happening.
J is back in court. More trial management. SV has submitted a note on language used in court.
[Suspect we are going to have a discussion about pronoun use.]
J for the purposes of everyone in the public gallery - the Prosecution will address C according to affirmed gender and pronouns "she". D and D's counsel will refer to C as Brooks with sex-based pronouns. There will be no policing of language. This may cause offence...
... but if anyone in the public gallery gives audible reactions, interruptions on this or anything else in this it may case may lead to exclusion from the court.
P (prosecution JFW) on her feet. D faces two charges of harassment - contrary to 1997 Harassment Act in Oct 2024 and one count of criminal damage in Oct 2024. Not in dispute that D sent the tweets or threw the camera phone. SB was 17 when this happened at the LGB Alliance conf...
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