Graham Linehan, one of the creators of the popular TV show “Father Ted,” has confessed to tossing a phone belonging to a transgender activist following a dispute. Linehan is currently facing trial in London for this incident.
The accusations against Linehan involve alleged harassment of a transgender woman named Sophia Brooks. It is claimed that Linehan damaged her phone during an altercation outside the Battle of Ideas conference in Westminster on October 19 of the previous year.
According to Brooks, Linehan verbally insulted her before forcibly taking her device. Linehan, on the other hand, maintains that his actions were a result of heightened adrenaline and the alleged harassment he had faced from transgender activists prior to the incident.
Although Linehan has admitted to throwing the phone, he denies the charge of harassing Ms. Brooks on social media between October 11 and 27, 2024. Additionally, he refutes the accusation of causing criminal damage to her mobile phone, which is estimated to have incurred a cost of £369.
During the court proceedings, Katherine Harris, the co-founder of LGB Alliance UK, testified against Linehan. She recounted witnessing Brooks standing up with a camera during a panel discussion, describing the act as deliberate and intimidating.
Harris, referring to Brooks as male, expressed that Linehan’s behavior felt intrusive and aggressive, with an apparent intention to assert dominance. She noted that Linehan seemed determined to photograph everyone present, exhibiting a sense of power and control.
Furthermore, Harris revealed her familiarity with Linehan and highlighted previous allegations related to the phone incident. Prosecutors presented evidence of Linehan’s relentless social media posts targeting Brooks, which they characterized as oppressive and verbally abusive.
The prosecution emphasized that Linehan’s posts were unsolicited and intended to express his disdain for Brooks. They also highlighted Linehan’s actions of seizing and throwing Brooks’ phone, leading to the charge of criminal damage.
Apart from his involvement in “Father Ted,” Linehan, a Dublin native, is known for his work on successful TV series like “The IT Crowd” and “Black Books.”