Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has arrived for his court trial accused of harassing a transgender woman and damaging her phone - days after his arrest over social media posts.
The writer, behind television hits such as Father Ted, the IT Crowd and Motherland, arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning shortly before the doors opened at 9am.
He smiled and posed for photographers, wearing a grey suit and a white shirt. The comedy writer posed wearing a placard adorned with the transgender flag, which read 'Keep men out of women's sports' on one side and 'There's no such thing as a "transgender child"' on the other.
Supporters, including Lord Young from the Free Speech Union, were present.
He told one supporter, in an apparent reference to his Heathrow arrest three days ago on another matter earlier this week: 'I would have enjoyed the arrest a bit more if I knew what was happening.'
