"The trial heard that Brooks had begun taking photographs of delegates at the event during a speech by Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters. Outside the event, the activist asked Linehan: "Why do you think it is acceptable to call teenagers domestic terrorists?" In response, the court heard that Linehan had called Brooks a "sissy porn-watching scumbag", a "groomer" and a "disgusting incel", with the complainant responding: "You're the incel, you're divorced.""
"Prosecutor Julia Faure Walker told the court that Linehan had written "repeated, abusive, unreasonable" social media posts about Brooks, who he referred to as Tarquin. The comedy writer, who has well-publicised strong views on gender issues, said his "life was made hell" by trans activists, adding that the complainant was a "young soldier in the trans activist army". The writer added: "He was misogynistic, he was abusive, he was snide. "He depended on his anonymity to get close to people and hurt them, and I wanted to destroy that anonymity.""
A 57-year-old, Linehan, flew in from Arizona to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court where judgment was delivered in person. Linehan denied harassing Sonia Brooks on social media between October 11 and 27 and a charge of criminal damage to their mobile phone on October 19 outside the Battle of Ideas conference. Brooks had been photographing delegates during a speech by Fiona McAnena. Outside the event, Brooks asked why Linehan called teenagers domestic terrorists. Linehan used insulting labels, published repeated abusive posts, and said trans activists made his life "hell", accusing the complainant of hiding behind anonymity.
Read at Irish Independent
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