Graham Linehan arrives at court to face trial over alleged "harassment" of trans woman

Graham Linehan arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today to face trial over allegations of "harassment and criminal damage" involving trans activist Sophia Brooks. The case comes just days after Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport for separate social media posts deemed potentially inciting violence.

The 57-year-old, best known for co-creating Father Ted, The IT Crowd and Black Books, is accused of harassing Brooks online between 11 and 27 October 2024 and damaging her mobile phone - worth £369 - during an incident at the Battle of Ideas conference in London on 19 October. Linehan has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

According to court documents, the harassment charge stems from a series of abusive posts directed at Brooks on X (formerly Twitter). The trial is expected to last one day.

Linehan’s court appearance follows his arrest on 1 September at Heathrow Airport, where he was detained by five armed officers. The arrest was linked to three posts made in April on X, including one that read: “If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”

Another post included a photo of a trans rights protest with the caption “a photo you can smell,” followed by “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F*** em.”

Linehan, who has long been outspoken on gender identity issues, has previously described himself as “the most hated man on the internet.” His career has suffered as a result of his activism, including the cancellation of a planned Father Ted musical in 2022 and bans from social media platforms.