Graham Linehan cleared in London court of harassing trans activist, found guilty of damaging phone

Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan, creator of the sitcom “Father Ted,” has been cleared of harassing a teenage transgender activist on social media, but was found guilty of damaging the teen’s phone. Linehan denied both charges.

According to BBC News, Linehan was fined £500 (approximately $655) and ordered to pay costs of £650 and a statutory surcharge of £200 after being found guilty of criminal damage in relation to the phone on Tuesday.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London heard that Linehan “deliberately whacked” transgender activist Sophia Brooks’ phone out of her hand outside the Battle of Ideas conference last year. Brooks, who was born a biological male but identifies as a woman, reportedly confronted and filmed Linehan during the incident.

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BBC News reported that the court also heard that the Irish comedy writer “relentlessly” posted abusive comments about Brooks on social media, but the judge ruled that these posts did not amount to harassment.

After their October confrontation, Linehan was accused of harassing Brooks — then 17 years old — calling her a “sociopath,” “psycho,” “domestic terrorist” and “groomer” on X.

District Judge Briony Clarke said that while Linehan’s posts were “unattractive, annoying and irritating,” she ruled that they were not “oppressive or unacceptable” and consequently did not meet the criminal threshold for harassment, according to the BBC.

The judge also stated that she did not believe “the complainant was as ‘alarmed and distressed’ as they portrayed themself to be by these messages and this course of conduct,” and found that Brooks “was not giving entirely truthful evidence” during the trial in September. Conversely, the judge ruled that Linehan was “generally a credible witness.”

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The BBC reported that outside the court on Tuesday, the Irish comedy writer said there was “a group of dangerous men who are determined to bully women and girls, and to misuse the courts and police in furtherance of a misogynistic agenda.”

“I’m proud to have stood up to them and I will continue to do so,” he added.

Brooks released a statement reshared on X by Stephanie Hayden that expressed satisfaction with the partial conviction and called Linehan a “thug.” 

While unrelated to the aforementioned court case, Linehan was arrested at London Heathrow Airport in September, over several social media posts criticizing transgender activists.

Linehan’s arrest sparked fury from some public figures and politicians and ignited a debate on social media about free speech in the United Kingdom.

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The Metropolitan Police ended its investigation in October after the Crown Prosecution Service determined that no further action should be taken.

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.