Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has confessed to throwing a phone belonging to a transgender activist following an altercation. Linehan is currently facing trial in London.
He stands accused of harassing transgender woman Sophia Brooks, including damaging her phone during an incident outside the Battle of Ideas conference in Westminster on October 19 of the previous year.
According to Brooks, Linehan verbally insulted her before forcefully taking her device. Linehan, on the other hand, claims it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction fueled by adrenaline. He also asserted that he had been subjected to harassment by transgender activists before the alleged confrontation.
Although Linehan acknowledges throwing the phone, he denies the charge of harassing Ms. Brooks on social media between October 11 and 27, 2024. He also refutes the accusation of causing criminal damage to her phone, which is estimated to be valued at £369.
During the court proceedings, Katherine Harris, the co-founder of LGB Alliance UK, testified on Wednesday, stating that she witnessed Ms. Brooks standing up with a camera during a panel discussion.
Harris, referring to Brooks as male, described the incident as a deliberate and intimidating act, where Brooks incessantly filmed attendees in what felt like an intrusive and aggressive manner.
Moreover, Harris mentioned her familiarity with Linehan and recalled the allegations regarding the phone incident from the previous month.
In a previous court session, Prosecutor Julia Faure Walker highlighted Linehan’s relentless social media posts about the victim, which were deemed oppressive and unacceptable rather than just annoying or irritating.
Faure Walker pointed out that Linehan’s posts were verbally abusive and vindictive, reflecting his strong aversion towards Ms. Brooks. The prosecution argued that these unsolicited posts were not provoked by Ms. Brooks but were intended to harm her.
The prosecution emphasized Linehan’s involvement in the alleged criminal damage to the phone, which occurred when Ms. Brooks questioned him about an online accusation. In response, Linehan resorted to derogatory language towards Ms. Brooks.
Apart from being one of the creators of “Father Ted,” Linehan, who hails from Dublin, is known for his work on popular TV shows like “The IT Crowd” and “Black Books.”