Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has arrived at court in London at the start of his trial, in which he is accused of harassing a transgender activist.
Before entering into Westminster Magistrates’ Court, he posed with a sign bearing the message: “There’s no such thing as a ‘transgender child'”.
On the other side, it read: “Keep men out of women’s sports”.
During a previous court appearance in October, the 57-year-old comedy writer previously denied one count of harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks on social media and a further charge of damaging her mobile phone.
Julia Faure Walker, prosecuting, said: “The defendant, Graham Linehan, faces two charges, one harassment of Sophia Brooks between 11 October 2024 and 27 October 2024… the second charge is criminal damage of Ms Brooks’ mobile phone on 19 October 2024…
“There are some matters that are not in dispute, it’s not in dispute that the defendant sent the relevant social media posts between 11 October and 27 October, and it’s not in dispute that the defendant seized and threw the phone of the complainant.”
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Mr Linehan has become a vocal critic of the trans rights movement in recent years.
After a court hearing in May, in which he pleaded not guilty to the charges, he said he had “lost a great deal” but “will not waver in my resolve”.
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Mr Linehan, who created Father Ted in the 1990s with fellow Irish writer Arthur Mathews, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday on suspicion of inciting violence in connection with posts on X about trans issues.
