Graham Linehan says police taking no further action over ‘anti-trans’ posts after his Heathrow arrest
Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has said he will face “no further action” after he was arrested by the Metropolitan Police at Heathrow Airport in September on suspicion of inciting violence over social media posts about trans issues.
The 57-year-old Irish comedy writer was arrested after flying from Arizona for three posts he made on X.
The arrest sparked criticism Harry Potter Author JK Rowling is among those who reacted angrily.
Posting on social media on Monday, Linehan said: “Police have informed my lawyers that I do not face any further action in relation to the arrest at Heathrow in September.
“After a successful hearing to revoke my bail conditions (which the police officer in charge of the case did not even bother to attend) the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case.”
He said he would work to hold the police “accountable” for the incident, as well as the Free Expression League, which plans to sue the Metropolitan Police for wrongful arrest.
“Throughout this investigation, police have acted as activists, not impartial defenders of the law,” the Free Expression League said in a post on X.
“Instead of inviting Graham for an interview in September, the Met sent five armed police officers to arrest him at Heathrow airport,” they added.
“So we won’t stop there. Police forces cannot continue to suppress lawful freedom of expression without suffering consequences.”
He was arrested ‘like a terrorist’
Linehan previously shared more details about the arrest on his blog. He claimed he was “marked” and “arrested at the airport like a terrorist.”
“The moment I got off the plane at Heathrow, five armed police were waiting for me. Not one, not two, but five,” he wrote.
“They escorted me to a private area and told me I was under arrest for three tweets.”
She reshared one of the posts, which was first published in April, urging people to “call the police” on trans-identified people and “if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”
Another post showed a crowd attending the protest, many of whom were transgender and carrying LGBT+ Pride flags, and wrote above it: “A photo you can smell.”
The third post, which he claims led to his arrest, was in response to someone who commented under this photo: “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. Fuck them.”
He claimed that while he was taken to a small green-tiled cell with bunk beds and a silver toilet, his belt, bag and devices were confiscated and he was questioned about his posts, which he said were “a serious observation made as a joke”.
Separately, Linehan faces a lawsuit for allegedly harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks.
He denied harassing him on social media between 11 and 27 October 2024 and also denied a charge of criminal damage to his mobile phone worth £369 on 19 October 2024.
A trial began in September but was postponed.
