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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Charlotte McLaughlin

Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan charged with harassment

Writer Graham Linehan is perhaps best known for co-creating Father Ted (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) - (PA Archive)

Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has been charged with harassment and criminal damage.

The Irish comedy writer, 56, wrote on social media that the allegations were related to an incident at the Battle of Ideas conference in London in October.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed Linehan has been charged with both harassment without violence, and criminal damage.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 12, a CPS spokesperson said.

Graham Linehan will appear before Westminster magistrates on May 12 (Anthony Devlin/PA) (PA Archive)

The Bafta-winning writer, who also came up with TV sitcoms The IT Crowd and Black Books, has become a strong vocal critic of the trans rights movement in recent years.

In a post on X on Saturday, he claimed that the charge related to a complaint from a trans activist.

In 2023, he recalled in his book titled Tough Crowd: How I Made And Lost A Career In Comedy, that he lost his comedy career after he “championed an unfashionable cause”.

Linehan created Father Ted in the 1990s with fellow Irish writer Arthur Mathews.

The Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment.

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