Linehan Appeals Phone-Throwing Conviction

0:00On April 30, TV writer Graham Linnahan, best known for father Ted, is appealing his criminal damage conviction at Southward Crown Court. The 57-year-old grabbed the trans activist's phone and threw it during a clash outside the Battle of Ideas Conference in Westminster on October 19, 2024. He got fined 500 pounds plus costs after magistrates ruled, he knew it would break. Linnahan flew in from Arizona for Thursday's hearing. Linnahan was pointed to his online post boasting about the act, saying it gave him a rush of superiority over the activist Sophia Brooks. They stressed the court should stick to the phone grab, not dive into bigger debates. Linnahan's no stranger to these fights. He's an outspoken, gender-critical voice who's faced backlash for his views. Months earlier, he beat a harassment charge over social media posts, calling Brooks names like groomer. Still, the judge said those were just insulting, not oppressive. Court footage showed the heated buildup with Linnahan firing insults and Brooks hitting

1:03back about his personal life. His lawyer argued, Brooks is pushing this as part of a wider activist campaign to take down high-profile critics like him through the courts. The appeal wraps up Friday, leaving everyone watching if Linnahan walks free or the conviction sticks amid this ongoing clash of views.