Stickers supporting the release of jailed far right figure “Tommy Robinson” have appeared in Irvine.

An Irvine councillor said the Islamophobic hate-figure – who was caged for nearly collapsing a major child abuse trial – is "exactly where he belongs" after community councillors raised concern over the "disgraceful" stickers last week.

Irvine Community Council chair Tristan Lindsay said: “I’ve noticed there’s stickers that have appeared that say ‘Free Tommy Robinson’ does everyone know what that means?” with member Jackie Frew responding that he was ‘far right’ and ‘in the jail’.

She added: “It’s really quite disgraceful. There’s a danger of people not recognising an escalation of the far right – the way politics is in this country, this is where the far right can rise."

Irvine West SNP Cllr Shaun Macauley told the Times: “The individual on these stickers is exactly where he belongs. His hate is not welcome and has no place in Irvine or anywhere else. This publicity stunt won’t change that fact.”

The stickers which read “I’m Tommy Robinson” support the release of ex EDL leader and former BNP member, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, after he was jailed last month for nearly collapsing a major grooming gang trial last year.

The 36-year-old was jailed at the Old Bailey last month after he breached strict reporting restrictions by filming men accused of horrific sexual crimes against young girls outside Leeds Crown Court before they had been found guilty and live-streamed the footage on Facebook in May 2018.

The judge said Robinson’s conduct had amounted to a “serious contempt” and involved “reckless disobedience” of a court order, imposed to protect a trial and a later linked trial.