"Reading a summary of her judgment, the judge said she was not satisfied that Linehan's conduct amounted to harassment or that the complainant was as distressed as she made herself out to be. She said that Linehan had not tagged Ms Brooks in his social media posts, bar one. While his comments were deeply unpleasant, insulting and even unnecessary, they were not oppressive or unacceptable beyond merely unattractive, annoying or irritating, she said."
"The court previously heard that Ms Brooks had begun taking photographs of delegates at the event during a speech by Fiona McAnena, the director of campaigns at Sex Matters. Outside the event, Ms Brooks asked Linehan: Why do you think it is acceptable to call teenagers domestic terrorists? In response, the court heard that Linehan had called Ms Brooks a sissy porn-watching scumbag, a groomer and a disgusting incel. The complainant responded: You're the incel, you're divorced."
Graham Linehan, 57, flew in from Arizona and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he denied harassing Sonia Brooks on social media between 11–27 October 2024 and denied damaging her mobile phone on 19 October. District Judge Briony Clarke found Linehan not guilty of harassment, concluding she was not satisfied his conduct amounted to harassment or that Brooks was as distressed as alleged. The judge noted Linehan had not tagged Brooks in his posts except once and described his comments as deeply unpleasant but not oppressive. The judge found Linehan guilty of criminal damage for taking Brooks' phone, knocking it to the ground, and damaging it.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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