The chief founder of the English Defence League has been found guilty of inciting a street
brawl with 100 football fans.
Stephen Lennon, 28, is reported to have shouted ‘EDL till I die’ before leading fellow Luton
Town supporters into a clash with Newport County fans on August 24 in 2010.
Lennon was initially arrested by officers for suspected actual bodily harm, but this charge
was later discontinued.
He was eventually charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and
accused of leading Luton’s thugs into a fight.
He pleaded not guilty but was convicted after a trial at Luton and South Bedfordshire
Magistrates’ Court.
Lennon, a father of three who got married on Saturday, was at the front of a large number
of football hooligans and was witnessed provoking opposition fans by swearing and
making rude gestures at them.
The clash quickly escalated with masked fans fighting and throwing bottles and other
missiles, including a car roof rack.
Pc Robert Field described the scene the court as ‘incredibly intimidating’ said it was ‘clearly
going to get out of control’. He added that he recognised the EDL chief after previous
dealings with him and because he had attempted to arrest him earlier that same day over
another matter.
District Judge Carolyn Mellanby told Lennon: ‘I am entirely satisfied you were at the front
of this group of angry Luton supporters looking for trouble when you were confronted by
the group of Newport supporters who were also angry and fired up looking for trouble.’
Lennon, from Luton, was sentenced to a 12-month community rehabilitation order, 150
hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay £650 and was also hit with a three-year football
banning order.
