Billy Linehan, who co-created Father Ted, was found not guilty of cyberstalking a transgender adolescent but found guilty of destroying her phone.
According to the testimony given at his trial, Linehan “deliberately whacked” Sophia Brooks’ phone before tossing it into the road outside of a conference in October of last year.
The Irish comic writer allegedly “relentlessly” posted hateful comments on social media, according to Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
On Tuesday, the judge ruled that Linehan was not guilty of harassment for his social media posts, but he was found guilty of criminal damage to the phone.
After referring to Brooks, who was 17 at the time, as a “sociopath,” “psycho,” “domestic terrorist,” and “groomer” on X, Linehan was charged with harassment.
Although the posts were “unattractive, annoying, and irritating” and “deeply unpleasant and even unnecessary,” District Judge Briony Clarke stated that they did not meet the criminal standard for harassment since they were not “oppressive or unacceptable.”
The two first met in person in October 2024 when Linehan was approached and recorded outside the Battle of Ideas conference in London by Brooks, a biological male who identifies as a woman.
According to the judge, Linehan “took the phone and threw it because he was angry and fed up not because he was using reasonable force to prevent crime” and caused damage to it.