Thread by @jamesdoleman

Back at the Royal Courts of Justice for day three of the "Tommy Robinson," libel trial.
Court is considering some matters in private just now, will start reporting when I can

The private hearing is over, now awaiting the return of the judge so proceedings in Jamal Hijazi v Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson) can resume.

The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, enters and proceedings commence.

Mr Robinson calls his next witness (who cannot be named for legal reasons)

The witness went to the same school as the claimant Jamal Hijazi, although in a lower age group, and was present at an incident when Hijazi ended up with a broken arm.

Witness says that he had been told Hijazi had insulted his mother and he then threw water over him. Then, he testifies Hijazi punched him and put him in a headlock.

Robinson finishes and Catrin Evans QC, for the claimant, stands to cross-examine.
The barrister asks the witness to confirm his witness statement., which he does.

Witness then says he did not write the statement himself, and "someone wrote for him," after he spoke to them.
He cannot recall who this was.

The witness says Hijazi had called his mum a "white, fat bitch," while they were playing football which is why he threw water on him.

The witness says that Hijazi broke his arm after another pupil pushed him off of himself and he landed "awkwardly."

Evans suggests to the witness he is not telling the truth about the incident. She sys Hijazi was on the way to the library and another, older boy, told him to throw water over the Syrian child.

Hijazi's hands were then held behind his back and he was then pushed to the ground, breaking his arm the barrister says, the witness says no.
Cross-examination ends and the witness steps down.

Mr Robinson calls his next witness, another pupil who attended the school.
She says she is giving evidence "because the truth has to be put out there."

The witness says that Hijazi hit her from behind with a hockey stick during a sports lesson. She says she is sure it was not an accident.

Robinson asks the witness about a man called "Dodi."
The judge intervenes, rules out the question as the third party is not here to defend himself, he also says that trying to use a young witness to implicate someone outside court was unacceptable and would not be permitted

Catrin Evans QC stands to cross-examine the witness.
The witness says she thinks the hockey stick incident was in the month of January. Evans asks why she told Robinson during a video interview it happened in November?

The witness says she had said she hadn't been aware of Hijazi until 2 weeks before the alleged incident, "I didn't know everyone at the school," she says/.

The witness says as far as she knows only one other person witnessed the incident, and that she didn't shout or cry out when she was allegedly hit.

The witness says she didn't write the part of her statement that said many people saw the incident, she cannot recall who did. She says she had told a teacher what had happened and he had said he would deal with it.

The witness says she did not seek any medical help after the incident, Evans says there are no school records that mention it, no doctors notes or hospital records
Barrister suggests to the witness that she is lying, "Why would I lie?" she replies, Evans:"We'll come to that,"

Witness says that she could not attend PE lessons for months after the incident, Evans says school records show she attended, 60 out of 66 PE lessons that year. The witness says she was there but wasn't taking part.

Evans asks the witness about her reasons for leaving the school, she says Jamal was one of the reasons but not the only one, as she was suffering anxiety over "bullying."

Cross-examination ends.

Court takes a morning break

Proceedings resume, Mr Robinson calls his next witness, who also cannot be named for legal reasons.

The witness confirms that he first met Robinson when the defendant doorstepped him to ask about events at the school.

Witness says he was brought up in a household "where the truth is the truth," which is why he is giving evidence.

Robinson tries to introduce evidence from a teacher that he says was "accidentally recorded," the judge rules the point has already been covered and asks the defendant to move on.
He ends his questioning, and counsel for the claimants begins her cross-examination.

Catrin Evans QC asks the witness about his account of the hockey stick incident involving the previous witness.

The witness says he was sitting on the sidelines watching the hockey game when he "saw Jamal attack the girl," by hitting her with his hockey stick on the back.
He says all the other members of both teams had their backs turned when this happened.

Evans asks the witness why he stated the teacher had sent the woman to "First Aid," he replies that's what he thought had happened.

The witness says "why would I lie in a court of law?" Evans replies "I don't know why you are lying."

The witness says he "heard," that Jamal had been seen "running around a park with a machete."
He says he was told this by a workmate of his father's whose name he can't recall.
Asked if anyone reported this to the police, he says no

Witness steps down.
Mr Robinson has no further witnesses and ends his defence case. The next stage will be closing speeches. They will begin on Monday at noon.