Father ted creator Graham Linehan denies harassment charge

Comedy writer Graham Linehan in dock at Westminster Magistrates accused of harassing trans activist Sophia Brooks, 18, and damaging her £369 phone during London clash.

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he denied charges of harassment and criminal damage brought against him in relation to an incident involving transgender activist Sophia Brooks.

The 56-year-old Irish comedy writer, also known for The IT Crowd and Black Books, stood in the dock on Monday to confirm it his name, age and plea. He faces allegations that between 11 and 27 October last year he harassed the 18-year-old activist on social media, and separately caused damage to her mobile phone during the “Battle of Ideas” conference in London, where he was scheduled to speak. The alleged damage is valued at £369.

Outside court, Linehan addressed reporters while wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a Daily Telegraph headline reading

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“TRANS WOMEN ARE NOT WOMEN”

He said he had spent six years defending “the rights of women and children” and had faced abuse and threats in return. He was granted bail on condition that he must not contact the complainant, directly or indirectly. The trial has been listed for 4 September.

The proceedings follow Linehan’s earlier arrest at Heathrow Airport in September, where he claims he was detained by five armed officers after arriving on a flight from Arizona. According to Linehan, the arrest related to three posts on the social media platform X, with police informing him he was under suspicion of inciting violence.

He reported that his blood pressure reached “stroke territory” during questioning, leading to his transfer from custody to hospital before release on bail.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson has confirmed that a man in his 50s had been arrested by the Aviation Unit at Heathrow on suspicion of inciting violence and taken into custody, before being transferred to hospital as a precaution. The spokesperson added that it is “routine for officers policing airports to carry firearms”, stressing that no weapons were drawn or used during the arrest.

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Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Robert Jenrick, who currently serves as a prominent backbencher after previously holding ministerial office in the Home Office, described the prosecution as:

“Ridiculous and a complete waste of police time”. He contrasted the arrest with the fact that police only respond to one in five reported shoplifting offences, stating: “The police only respond to 1 in 5 reported shoplifting offences, but deployed 5 armed officers to arrest a comedian over three tweets. We desperately need to end this nonsense and go after actual criminals.”

Linehan will now return to Westminster Magistrates’ Court on the 4th of September where the allegations of harassment and criminal damage will be tested in a full trial.

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.