The Father Ted creator was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport last week and questioned over three tweets defending women from transgender rights campaigners.

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.

The Father Ted co-creator, 57, ended up in hospital earlier this week when his blood pressure rocketed after he was detained by five armed officers at Heathrow .