Met Police Drop Investigation Into Graham Linehan's Tweets After Heathrow Arrest

Image by Martin Foskett

By Martin Foskett | Newswire | Knelstrom Media

LONDON, ENGLAND: The Metropolitan Police have ended their investigation into writer and television creator Graham Linehan, after prosecutors found insufficient evidence to support any criminal charges over his social media posts.

​Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport in September and later released on police bail under conditions described by his supporters as unlawful, including a ban on using the social media platform X and on contacting trans-identifying individuals. The Free Speech Union, which represented him during the inquiry, said the Crown Prosecution Service had now confirmed that no further action would be taken.

In a post on X, Linehan wrote that police had informed his lawyers of the decision, adding that he had successfully challenged his bail restrictions at a court hearing "which the police officer in charge of the case didn’t even bother to attend." He said he intended to hold the police accountable for what he called "the latest attempt to silence and suppress gender critical voices."

The Free Speech Union accused the Met of acting "like activists rather than impartial upholders of the law," and confirmed that it plans to launch legal action against the force for wrongful arrest and breach of free speech rights. The group said it had to take the Met to court to overturn the ban on Linehan's online activity, claiming officers failed to attend that hearing as well.

According to the FSU, five armed officers were deployed to Heathrow to arrest Linehan after he failed to attend an interview — a claim the Met has not publicly addressed. A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service stated there was "insufficient evidence to proceed," while the Met confirmed the investigation had concluded without commenting on operational details.

The case has reignited debate over how far police should go in policing speech online. Supporters of Linehan argue that criminalising offensive expression undermines the principle of open discussion, while critics contend his comments have contributed to hostility toward transgender individuals.

For Linehan, the outcome ends a months-long confrontation between his digital defiance and the state's growing scrutiny of online discourse. The broader argument — where free speech ends and harassment begins — remains firmly unresolved, lodged somewhere between the law and the feed.