Man guilty of harassing transgender comic Eddie Izzard with abuse
A man has been found guilty on a harassment charge after targeting transgender comic Eddie Izzard with abuse.
The gender non-conforming comic, marathon runner and Labour Party activist has long been open about his gender identity, initially using the label transvestite before more recently describing himself as a transgender men.
He appeared in court last week to give evidence against a man he says targeted him with homophobic and transphobic abuse.
24-year-old Jamie Penny, who is on the Autistic spectrum, was found guilty of two counts of using threatening and abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
Penny was arrested after he allegedly threatened to “do” Mr Izzard’s house when the star refused him and a lift in his car.
A month later, in May, he apparently called Mr Izzard a “f*cking poofter” after seeing him again – leading prosecutors to treat his actions as a hate crime.
In his statement to the court, Mr Izzard said: “I am tough, I have run marathons, I wanted to stand up for myself otherwise you become a victim.”
Asked why he swore back at Penny during the first confrontation, he said: “Over years people have said very nasty things to me. I prefer to stand my ground. I do stand up for my rights and other people’s rights.”
According to the Guardian, Penny heckled him from the dock: “You’re not gay, why would I shout homophobic abuse at you if you’re not gay?”
Penny, who will be sentenced this week, will be given a restraining order and have to pay costs and compensation, the court heard.
