Tommy Robinson left Independent journalist 'too frightened' to answer her door when he visited her home 'very angry and agitated' over story claiming he 'misused' donations from his supporters, court hears

A journalist was 'too frightened' to go to the door with English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson appeared on her doorstep 'very angry and agitated', a court has heard.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was in Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday over an application for a stalking protection order after he went to the home of Independent home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden and her partner, Samuel Partridge. 

He attended the courts despite the expectation that he would join remotely due to coronavirus isolation.  

Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram said the court had been 'misled' regarding applications for adjournment, which Robinson's lawyer said were made out of 'an abundance of caution and a misunderstanding as to what Mr Lennon's instructions were.' 

His lawyer added that he is in compliance with the guidance on quarantine. 

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was in Westminster Magistrates' Court 

The court heard that Robinson, 38, went to Ms Dearden's home on January 17, some days after a request for comment was sent via his solicitors about a story alleging he had misused money donated by his supporters. 

Ryan Dowding, representing the Metropolitan Police, told the court that Robinson did not respond to the email, and went to Ms Dearden's home instead. 

He told the court there was 'shouting about Mr Partridge, claiming he was a paedophile,' and said: 'There were threats to come back every day if he needed to.' 

Video footage, filmed by Robinson, captures him saying: 'Lizzie, I will be back every day if I have to.'  

Mr Dowding also told the court that Robinson was with someone in a Range Rover who was sounding the horn throughout. 

Robinson was subsequently arrested over the incident. 

Robinson, 38, attended the courts despite the expectation that he would join remotely due to coronavirus isolation.

The court previously heard that Robinson later posted two pictures of Mr Partridge online before emailing Ms Dearden purporting to comment on her story, in which he falsely claimed to have a source who said Mr Partridge had groomed a child. 

Ms Dearden, who gave evidence remotely, told the court she 'didn't know what he was going to do,' when he attended her home. 

'From what I could hear on the intercom and through the street, he sounded very angry and agitated,' she said.    

'Basically, I was too frightened to go down.'

She told the court she 'called 999 so quickly' and was able to hear Robinson asking for her partner by name and then her by name. 

Mr Partridge, who also gave evidence remotely, added that Robinson was 'polite to begin with' and added 'that changed very quickly.'  

Mr Ikram  agreed to impose an interim order in March this year ahead of the full application for a stalking protection order. 

Robinson speaks to a camera as he arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London

At the time, he said he was satisfied that the temporary order was 'necessary and proportionate' because the acts were 'capable of being associated with stalking' and there was an 'ongoing risk'.

'What the police say in this case is he has embarked on all of this to persuade her not to publish the story, and he sought to do so by the threat of publishing his own allegations about her partner, which it's said are simply not true,' he said at the hearing in March.  

The case was not concluded and was adjourned to August 26.