Graham Linehan, the Irish co-creator of British TV comedy show "Father Ted", has been found guilty of damaging the phone of a trans woman but cleared of harassing her by posting comments about her online.
Linehan, 57, a vocal critic of transgender activism in recent years, has found himself at the centre of a heated "culture war" debate in Britain on the issue.
Trans activists say his views cause offence while Linehan's supporters argue campaigners are trying to silence criticism and free speech.
He was found guilty at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court of causing criminal damage following an incident at a conference in October last year involving then 17-year-old trans woman Sophia Brooks.
But he was acquitted of accusations that he had "relentlessly" targeted her on social media by publishing more than 20 posts on X about Brooks using phrases such as "psycho" and "domestic terrorist".
She had told his trial that it had left her "alarmed and distressed".
Judge Briony Clarke said it was not for the court to "pick a side" in the debate on trans issues.
The judge ruled that while Linehan's posts were "deeply unpleasant and insulting", they were not "oppressive and unacceptable beyond merely unattractive, annoying or irritating".
The judge said she had concerns about Brooks' credibility and whether she had given "entirely truthful evidence".
"The defendant is clearly firm in his views and as I have made clear it is not for me to adjudicate upon whether he is right in those views or not," Ms Clarke said.
"Whilst robust in his views, I did not find that the defendant was seeking to mislead the court and appeared to be a generally frank and honest witness."
However, she found him guilty of criminal damage, saying he had intentionally thrown Ms Brooks' phone to the floor. He was fined 500 pounds and ordered to pay court costs.
In a separate case, Linehan made headlines when he was arrested in October at London's Heathrow Airport on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to posts about transgender issues on X.
That arrest was seized on by free-speech advocates. Police later said he would face no action, adding that they would no longer investigate what are known as "non-crime hate incidents".
"Father Ted" brought Linehan success in Britain in the 1990s and he also co-created "The IT Crowd", a critically acclaimed sitcom.
Reuters
