Tommy Robinson moved to closed wing prison after threats and 'mark on his head', High Court hears

Robinson is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court after breaching an injunction. On Thursday, his legal team argued that he should be allowed to challenge his segregation from other inmates at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, citing a significant decline in his mental health.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) opposed the legal challenge, arguing that the claim was "not arguable" and that Robinson’s isolation was necessary due to threats to his safety, including the risk of being assaulted by other prisoners seeking "kudos."

According to Tom Cross, representing the MoJ, Robinson was first admitted to HMP Belmarsh in October 2022, but on his first day, he reported a conflict with followers of Islam. As a result, he was moved to HMP Woodhill on November 1. However, the prison received intelligence indicating serious threats to Robinson's safety, which led to his transfer to a “closed wing” where he is isolated from other prisoners.

In written submissions, Cross revealed: “HMP Woodhill received several intelligence reports showing a non-speculative risk to the claimant, including that two other prisoners at HMP Woodhill were plotting to assault the claimant to gain kudos and notoriety, and that the claimant had a ‘mark on his head’ and would be killed by a lifer if located on a wing.”

Cross added that Robinson’s continued segregation is considered an interim measure until he can be moved to another wing, which is currently undergoing repairs. He stressed that the decision to keep Robinson isolated was necessary for his safety and to maintain the order and discipline of the prison. The MoJ also explored the possibility of relocating Robinson to another prison but determined that no alternative facility could better manage the risks.

Robinson’s treatment has been somewhat more lenient than usual segregation, with access to a laptop, the ability to send and receive emails in bulk, and gym facilities for three hours a day.

Robinson was jailed last October after admitting to 10 breaches of a High Court order in 2021, which prohibited him from repeating defamatory claims about a Syrian refugee who had successfully sued him. Robinson is due to be released on July 26.

Appearing via video link from prison in a grey jumper, Robinson expressed his concerns about the effects of his prolonged solitary confinement. His barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, quoted him as saying in February: "The solitary confinement is destroying my mind." Robinson also stated, "I am terrified of the long-term consequences of the continued solitary confinement. I feel I am being provoked to react. I want to leave prison mentally well, not mentally broken."

In a separate complaint, Robinson claimed that his isolation was politically motivated due to his activism and beliefs.

Williamson acknowledged that there was initially a threat to Robinson’s safety that justified his segregation but argued that the continued isolation was exacerbating his mental health decline. "We are presented with a position that Woodhill is not a safe place for him to be unless he is in segregation, but that segregation is, we suggest, harming him," Williamson said.

He also argued that Robinson’s distress went beyond what could be expected in prison, and highlighted that HMP Woodhill has a significant Muslim population, which he suggested was contributing to the difficulties Robinson was facing.

The barrister called for Robinson to be moved to a different facility where he would not need to be isolated. The hearing, which took place before Mr Justice Chamberlain, was set to conclude later on Thursday.