‘Father Ted’ creator Graham Linehan has been found not guilty of harassment of a transgender activist, but guilty of criminal damage.
The Irish comedian and television writer, 57, – best known for work on shows such as ‘The IT Crowd’ and ‘Count Arthur Strong’ – was facing trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London related to an alleged incident at a London conference last October. Linehan consistently denied both charges.
District Judge Briony Clarke said she was not convinced that his behaviour met the standard of “harassment”. She told the court that she found Linehan to be a “generally credible witness” who appeared “genuinely frank and honest”, and that she did not accept that complainant Sophia Brooks was as “distressed” by Linehan’s social media posts as had been claimed.
“Whilst firm in his views…[Linehan] was not seeking to mislead the court,” the judge said.
The judge also said that while Linehan’s messages may have been objectionable or insulting, this did not meet the threshold of criminal liability.
However, the court did find Linehan guilty of criminal damage when he threw Brooks’ phone.
“The footage shows that just before phone is taken the defendant is angry. I found that he took the phone because he was angry and fed up,” she said.
“I am therefore satisfied he was not using reasonable force, and I therefore find him guilty of criminal damage.”
Speaking during the case, Linehan said that his life was made “hell” by transgender activists, and that he was “angry” when he threw the phone while he was being filmed by Brooks, who asked him why he thought it was acceptable to call transgender teenagers “domestic terrorists”, resulting in a heated exchange.