Emmy award-winning comedy writer Graham Linehan has been cleared of harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks online but was found guilty of criminal damage in a London court on Tuesday.
Linehan, co-creator of Father Ted, Black Books, and The IT Crowd, faced allegations of sending āabusive and vindictiveā messages on social media. He was also charged with damaging Brooksās mobile phone after knocking it from their hand during a London conference.
District Judge Briony Clarke ruled that Linehanās behaviour, while āunattractive, annoying or irritating,ā did not meet the threshold for harassment. She also found that Brooks was not āas alarmed and distressedā as claimed.
However, the judge concluded Linehan acted āangry and fed upā when taking the phone and did not exercise āreasonable force,ā convicting him of criminal damage. He was fined Ā£500, ordered to pay Ā£650 in costs, and a Ā£200 statutory surcharge.
Linehan has been a prominent figure in debates on free speech and transgender issues in the UK. Earlier this year, he was arrested at Londonās Heathrow Airport over accusations of inciting violence via X (formerly Twitter) posts, a case later dropped by prosecutors.
The case highlights the ongoing tension between online conduct, free speech, and accountability for public figures in sensitive social debates.
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