Father Ted creator Graham Linehan was arrested earlier this week over controversial tweets on X

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has claimed he is “suing” after being arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport. The comedy writer, 57, was arrested by five officers after arriving on a flight from the US into the UK. He claimed he was taken to hospital by police after they became concerned over his blood pressure. He was later bailed “pending further investigation”, with the Metropolitan Police confirming his condition is “neither life-threatening nor life-changing.”

Now he is suing the cops for wrongful arrest and breach of his free speech rights, after he was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and questioned for several hours. Today (September 3), he announced he will take legal action against Scotland Yard, supported in his case by the Free Speech Union.

Graham Linehan has claimed he is ‘suing’ over his arrest (Image: PA)

The tweets in question saw Linehan call the idea of a trans woman in a female-only space a “violent, abusive act”, before adding: “Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”

He claimed in a Substack post that the quote was made in jest, writing: “I explained that the ‘punch’ tweet was a serious point made with a joke”, insisting that it was about “the height difference between men and women, and certainly not a call to violence.”

In another post, he shared a picture of protesters gathered in a town centre, saying he could “smell” the photograph. He also said “I hate them”, in response to “misogynists and homophobes”.

Linehan has released the audio of his arrest (Image: Getty)

Linehan has also released the shocking audio from his initial arrest, in which he can be heard shouting at police: “It’s just disgraceful… Holy sh**, I don’t f***ing believe it. I’m under arrest? Do you know what this country looks like in America? I’m going to sue you into the ground.”

He repeated the last sentiment three times before referring to the police as “f***ing b******s” and fuming: “I won’t calm down!”

He added: “It’s f***ing infuriating. You scumbags are working for f***ing ***holes who go into women’s toilets.”

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, meanwhile, said his officers have been put in an “impossible position” and should not be “policing toxic culture wars debates”.