‘Nerdy’ man guilty of making explosives in his shed

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October 30, 2025
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A man who set up a laboratory in his back garden is facing a jail sentence after being found guilty of explosive charges.

Harry Whittaker, 33, from Caddington, near Luton, was found guilty on two counts of making explosive substances, and two of possessing explosive substances.

A jury at the Old Bailey heard how the unemployed heroin user took methadone and had been conducting experiments in a garden shed at the home he shared with his mother.

Whittaker, a self-styled “nerdy” science geek, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 9 January next year.

Paramedics were called when Whittaker, who told the court he suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, suffered an allergic reaction and went into anaphylactic shock.

Police were then informed and disposal experts later carried out controlled explosions on white phosphorous – a mixture used in incendiary devices.

Giving evidence, Whittaker said he had been interested in science from the age of six and developed interests in chemistry, nuclear physics, medicine, pharmacology and astronomy.

He told the jury he was attempting to collect all the elements in the periodic table and described himself as a “mad scientist” who had acquired many of the chemicals he used from the online auction site eBay.

Whittaker told police he was “astounded” to be arrested and claimed he had no problem with anyone, regardless of their creed or colour.

But the court also heard about racist messages he exchanged on WhatsApp with his father.

“Muslims turn my stomach,” he wrote.

And during a discussion about a nearby Luton mosque, he talked about getting a tank and “driving it into that mosque on Friday afternoon and turning them into mincemeat”.

Police found the burned out remains of a device with the words “…for use on Jews only” and “throw at swarm of Jews”.

They also discovered another container labelled as Zyklon-B, the chemical used in gas chambers at Nazi death camps.

The trial also heard evidence from Whittaker’s neighbour, George Nedechev.

He said fumes caused by Whittaker’s experiments were so frequent and acrid that he and his family had to keep the windows shut and were effectively “hostages” in their own home.

The court heard some of the experiments had involved radioactive substances.

In another WhatsApp chat, Whittaker told a friend about an experiment that had gone wrong.

He wrote: “I was trying to isolate thorium dioxide, it just reduced down to a radioactive gunge that started exploding like a volcano going absolutely everywhere, I had to evacuate while it burned holes in the tree canopy above it.

“Suppose I have to be thankful for my home isn’t radioactive lol.

The message continued about how it was “just the laboratory and the area around it that’s gone Chernobyl, the house is still fine”.

BBC News

Man spray-painted hate messages across city

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October 28, 2025
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A man filmed himself spray-painting Islamophobic and homophobic comments in locations across the city and uploaded it to social media.

Police identified the video on September 18, which linked to graffiti sprayed on a wall at Old Steine on September 9.

His handwriting was also linked to further similar graffiti committed on September 10 and 11 in St James’s Street and New Road.

Following police enquiries, a 49-year-old man was arrested on October 9 and taken to custody.

On October 10, John McMillan, who also goes by the name Johnny Crew, of Lavender Street, Brighton, appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.

He was charged with three counts of criminal damage, and three counts of religiously aggravated criminal damage.

McMillan pleaded guilty to the offences, and was bailed from court with conditions, ahead of his sentencing, scheduled for December 19.

Police Sergeant Daniel Gallichan, of the Hotspot Policing Team, said, “McMillan filmed himself committing an offence and shared the video on Instagram in an attempt to cause further harm.

“The evidence in this case was clear and indisputable, leaving him with no option but to plead guilty to all charges.

“We take all reports of hate crime extremely seriously. Everyone in Brighton and Hove deserves to feel safe, respected, and free from abuse or discrimination.”

Brighton Argus

Two men brandished a gun and knife during racist confrontation in Sunderland

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October 28, 2025
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Two men who joined in a city centre riot then brandished a gun and knife during a racist confrontation with pub doormen have been put behind bars.

Lewis Stubbs and Tony Hall pelted missiles at police and burgled a vape shop that was trashed during the mass disorder in Sunderland last August.

In February this year the pair were drinking at the Old Skool bar in the city when bouncers asked them to leave and they reacted with racist abuse then produced weapons during a terrifying stand-off.

At Newcastle Crown Court today Stubbs was jailed for 40 months and Hall got locked up for 56 months.

Prosecutor Neil Pallsiter said during the riot on August 2 Stubbs threw a can at a cop’s head, joined the crowd outside a police hub that was vandalised and threw a plastic chair towards officers.

Mr Pallister said Hall was more heavily involved in the trouble and threw a glass bottle, bins and a parasol towards police lines.

Hall also joined the crowd outside the police hub and both men looted the vape shop.

Mr Pallister said on February 10 this year the men had been asked to leave the Old Skool pub and became aggressive with two doormen.

Stubbs then grabbed a hat from one of the bouncers and put it down his trousers.

Both then shouted racist abuse at the workers and Hall smashed a bottle on the ground while Stubbs knocked off the other bouncer’s glasses.

Mr Pallister said: “Hall said ‘go ahead and stab him’ and they saw Stubbs move his hand towards his jacket and took out a knife.”

One of the doormen heard people shouting ‘gun, gun, gun’ and saw Hall pointing a gun towards him.

The court heard the police were called and arrested Stubbs and Hall nearby. A gas powered BB gun was found in some bushes.

One of the doormen said in an impact statement he was “angry because of the racist language” and added: “I have never seen a gun before, that was the first time I have ever seen one and it made me feel a bit strange.”

The other doorman said he left the city for a week after the confrontation and added in his statement: “I felt like I had to be careful when going out and about.”

He said he worked less shifts after the incident and added: “I spent a lot of time at home, scared to be outside. The males’ friends came after and said we were snitches.”

Stubbs, 25, of Front Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, admitted two charges of racially aggravated harassment, two of racially aggravated assault by beating, having a bladed article, violent disorder and burglary.

Jason Smith, defending, said Smith had a traumatic childhood, spent time in care and used drink and drugs to cope.

Hall, 31, of Pensher Street, Sunderland, admitted racially aggravated harassment, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possessing cannabis, riot and burglary.

Nicholas Lane, defending, said it was “drunken, loutish behaviour” while Hall was getting over a relationship break-up and added: “If he had been sober he wouldn’t have done it.”

Sunderland Echo

‘Mindless, stupid and wrong’ – North East riot teenager locked up

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October 26, 2025
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Shay Henson, of Sunderland, threw missiles at police and burgled a vape store during shameful scenes last August

A “mindless and stupid” teenager who took part in a mass riot and burglary has been locked up. Shay Henson was just 18 when he took part in violent scenes which brought shame on Sunderland last August.

He was caught on camera wearing a balaclava and throwing missiles at police, including a plant. He was also one of the those who stole vapes from a vape shop after entry had been gained by force.

Omar Ahmad, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: “He was in the city centre during the disorder, wearing a red jacket and a face covering. He is seen repeatedly throwing missiles towards the police during various points of the disorder.”

Mr Ahmad said a vape store was burgled during the riot and Henson was one of those who gained access and stole vapes. The store was said to have lost more than £83,000 as a result of the break-in.

Henson, 19, of Padgate Road, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to riot and burglary and was sent to a young offenders institution for 32 months. Judge Edward Bindloss said what happened in Sunderland that day mirrored what had happened in other cities and towns in the preceding days.

He told Henson: “You and others brought shame upon the city of Sunderland. Each individual act, whatever might be its character on its own, inflames and encourages others to act in a similar fashion. You saw others and that encouraged you and your behaviour encouraged others.

“Those who participate in mass disorder must expect long sentences of custody, intended not just to punish but to deter others from copying their examples. I accept you were caught up in the moment and, lacking maturity, were unable to walk away.”

Robin Turton, defending, said: “He recognises what he did was mindless, stupid and wrong. He presented well to the probation officer, as polite and thoughtful.” Mr Turton said Henson had been out with friends and got “wrapped up in the adrenaline of the incident” and “herd mentality”. He added that Henson was concerned for the impact on his mother of the situation he had placed himself in.

The Chronicle

Sunderland dad jailed after throwing missiles at police outside Aldi during riot

By
October 23, 2025
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Shane Amer, of Sunderland, has become the latest yob to be locked up for rioting in Sunderland

A rioter threw missiles including a beer keg at police during scenes which brought shame on Sunderland. Shane Amer has become the latest mindless yob to be locked up for turning the city centre into a no-go zone for members of the public on August 2 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Amer was not driven by any ideology but joined in when the mass disorder broke out while he was out drinking. Prosecutor Neil Pallister said he was seen with others participating in a series of acts amounting to riot.

Mr Pallister told the court: “The video compilation shows the defendant, who was wearing a blue jacket and grey trousers, throwing missiles at the police line outside The Yard building. He then goes on to commit further acts of violence, throwing missiles at the police during an interaction outside Aldi and he threw numerous missiles at the police outside The Yard building.

“He and others were throwing items including rocks, traffic cones and a heavy floor support stand, towards the police line. He and others threw metal beer kegs towards the police. He threw one at head height towards an officer, who had to duck out of the way.

“He was seen with others kicking at windows at The Yard building and they kicked and pushed a bin towards the same building.

“He took a leading role. He came across a parked police vehicle and used a metal beer keg to try to smash the unoccupied police vehicle. He then rolled the keg along the ground, having covered his hands with clothing he was wearing, presumably to try to remove fingerprints and DNA evidence.

“He was part of a large group advancing towards the police line, pushing a picnic table towards the police out of the front of the Empire theatre.”

Amer, 29, of Shrewsbury Crescent, Sunderland, who has ten previous convictions, including six for theft and four for burglary, pleaded guilty to riot. He was jailed for three years and two months.

Judge Gavin Doig said Amer and others had “brought shame on the city of Sunderland” and he said each individual act “inflames and encourages others to behave in a similar fashion”, meaning the overall picture has to be considered when passing sentence.

Cole Cockburn, defending, said: “He did not plan to be there. His involvement was not ideological. He went out with friends and found himself in scenes of escalating disorder.

“His actions were not the worst witnessed that night. At the time he was abusing cocaine and alcohol but he is now sober of those although he has substituted this was occasional cannabis use.

“He acknowledges the terror those officers must have felt and is very ashamed to have played a part. He feels he has embarrassed himself and his family and his one-year-old son. He is ashamed because his son would one day know his dad went to prison.

“He has mental health problems. He thinks that stemmed from a previous addiction to crack cocaine.

The Chronicle

Covid denier found guilty of encouraging terrorism

By
October 23, 2025
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A Covid denier is facing a prison sentence after he was found guilty of encouraging terrorism.

The Old Bailey had heard how 60-year-old Paul Martin, from south London, was a prolific poster online in a group called “The Resistance UK” during the pandemic, urging people to stage an armed revolt and attack the country’s infrastructure.

Prosecutor Julia Faure-Walker told the Old Bailey that his messages were designed to “stir up the idea of violent revolt using weapons for his ideological cause”.

The jury heard that Martin, from South Norwood, collected weapons in his flat, including crossbows and pistols, although he was cleared of collecting them for the purposes of terrorism.

‘It will be a war’

Martin maintained during his trial that his two crossbows were “purely for sport” and that two pistols were the kind “commonly used in fairgrounds”.

During the proceedings the 10-member jury was shown messages he had posted on the Telegram online chat group.

In December 2020, the defendant wrote: “It is a war you better get ready to smash skulls and destroy evil.”

Martin also called for attacks on 5G and CCTV, saying that if groups hit key infrastructure across the country “they be running around like flies”.

The Old Bailey heard that he posted: “If we do lawful reb (rebellion), we need lots of us.”

He added: “And plenty Alpha men and women… it will be a war, and the police will do everything to stop us.”

Later he told the group, to which he posted thousands of messages: “You do know if it kicks off lives will be lost on both sides. That’s the reality.”

In one post, Martin wrote: “The simple fact is there is no pandemic, never has been. The main goal was to genocide all they can and enslave the survivors and make the children sterile with poison.”

He also wrote: “Vaccine is a poison designed to kill you off over a short period.”

‘Down a rabbit hole’

While giving evidence, he was questioned about his beliefs during the pandemic. He claimed he had feared that people would be forced to have the Covid vaccine.

“I thought we would lose our privilege of consent, that we’d be forced to have it,” he told defence counsel Dominic Thomas.

“That gave me scary thoughts.

“What I see on the news, drag them out of the houses, jab them, all this.”

The defendant suggested that he had “fallen down a rabbit hole” during the pandemic and denied he had ever intended to commit any violent acts himself.

Giving evidence to the court, he said he was “just talking twaddle”, and was writing things down as he thought them.

Martin pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a stun gun at the beginning of his trial but denied the terrorism charges.

Judge Richard Marks KC bailed him for sentencing on 18 December. He was told to expect a custodial sentence.

BBC News

Neo-Nazi jailed for having gunpowder recipe

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October 20, 2025
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A neo-Nazi paedophile who was jailed 17 years ago for a nail bomb plot has received another prison sentence after admitting owning a gunpowder manual.

Martyn Gilleard, 49, of Town Street in Armley, Leeds, pleaded guilty in June to a single count of having material likely to be of use to a terrorist.

At Leeds Crown Court on Monday, he was jailed for seven years and nine months, and will be subject to a five-year Serious Crime Prevention Order plus terrorism notification requirements for 10 years.

Gilleard was jailed for 12 years in 2008 for hatching a nail bomb plot and for having indecent images of children, and was released in 2023.

The gunpowder recipe was found at Gilleard’s home address during a West Yorkshire Police intelligence search on 28 May and was passed to counter-terror police for further investigation.

Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said officers were concerned by the discovery of “the handwritten recipe for black powder […] later verified by experts as potentially viable”.

He said someone having information about explosives manufacture would “always raise serious questions”.

“Gilleard has chosen not to explain or defend the presence of the recipe in his home, instead pleading guilty to possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism,” he said.

At his trial in 2008 the court heard that Humberside Police searched the Goole home of Gilleard, a former forklift truck driver who was also using the name Martyn Stone.

They found four nail bombs, bladed weapons, bullets, documents about terrorism, and extreme right-wing literature.

Police also discovered about 39,000 indecent images of children, including film and photographs.
BBC News

Leeds man jailed after handwritten note containing gun powder recipe found

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October 20, 2025
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A Leeds man has been jailed after he kept a handwritten gun powder recipe.

Martyn Paul Gilleard, 49, of Town Street in Armley was jailed for three years and nine months and made the subject of an extended licence period for four years following the conviction. A judge also said he will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years and terrorism notification requirements for ten years.

Gilleard admitted one charge of possessing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The document was recovered from his home address during an intelligence led search by West Yorkshire Police on May 28, this year and passed to Counter Terrorism Policing North East for further investigation.

He entered a guilty plea when he appeared at the Old Bailey in June. Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: “Officers were concerned to discover a handwritten recipe for black powder during a search at Gilleard’s home in May; a recipe later verified by experts as potentially viable.

“Possessing information about the manufacture of explosives will always raise serious questions. Gilleard has chosen not to explain or defend the presence of the recipe in his home, instead pleading guilty to possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.”

Leeds Live

Fourth man jailed for violent disorder outside hotel housing asylum seekers

By
October 17, 2025
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Police said the 28-year-old acted in an ‘intimidating way, encouraging other people there to face off against our officers’.



A fourth man has been jailed for violent disorder following demonstrations outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.

Essex Police said Aaron Elles attended a protest outside The Bell Hotel in Epping wearing motorbike clothing, including a crash helmet to conceal his identity on July 17.

The force said the 28-year-old, of Harlow, acted in an “intimidating way, encouraging other people there to face off against our officers”.

He also “kicked an officer which led to other people pushing, shoving, and striking other officers”, police said.

Elles pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

He later indicated an intention to vacate his plea and a judge set a trial date next year alongside other defendants, but this was not pursued and he was sentenced on Thursday, Essex Police said.

The force said Elles was jailed at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday for one year and eight months.

Multiple demonstrations have been held outside The Bell Hotel after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu sexually assaulted a woman and a 14-year-old girl in the town.

The 38-year-old Ethiopian national, who arrived in the UK on a small boat days before the incidents in July, was jailed for 12 months at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court last month.

Officers, who arrested Elles at his home address on July 23, also found a small amount of cannabis in his motorbike jacket.

He also admitted possession of a Class B drug.

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said: “Elles is now the fourth person be sentenced for the actions on the evening of July 17.

“This was an evening in which officers had been trying their utmost to facilitate protest and counter-protest, which is our lawful duty.

“Elles was among a section of people in the crowd who were intent on escalating what had begun as a peaceful protest into violence.”

Three men, Martin Peagram, Dean Smith and Stuart Williams, were each given jail sentences on October 6, having pleaded guilty to violent disorder at earlier hearings.

Peagram, 33, of Loughton, was jailed for two years and two months; Smith, 51, of Epping, for one year and 10 months; and Williams, 36, of Thornwood, Epping, for two years and four months.

Four more men are due to stand trial for violent disorder from March 23 next year, with a further three to stand trial from June 1 at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Evening Standard

Far-right extremists jailed for terror plots

By
October 17, 2025
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Three Nazi-worshipping extremists convicted of terror offences have been jailed.

Christopher Ringrose, 34, Marco Pitzettu, 25, and Brogan Stewart, 25, were found guilty in May of planning terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues.

Stewart, from West Yorkshire, was jailed for 11 years, Ringrose, from Staffordshire, was jailed for 10 years, and Pitzettu, from Derbyshire, will serve eight years.

Sentencing them at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, Mrs Justice Cutts said she believed they all continued to adhere to their extreme right-wing ideology.

The judge outlined how the online group the trio belonged to was preparing for an attack on an Islamic education centre in Leeds before they were arrested by counter-terror police.

During their trial it emerged the men, who are not believed to have met in the real world before appearing in court, were preparing to use more than 200 weapons they had amassed, including machetes, swords, crossbows and an illegal stun gun.

Ringrose had also 3D-printed most of the components of a semi-automatic firearm.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford KC said the three defendants were “followers of an extreme right-wing Nazi ideology” and styled themselves as an armed military group.

Mr Sandiford said by 2024 they were seeking further recruits and hoping to acquire more deadly weapons.

He said by January and February they were planning their first attack and had identified a target in Leeds, harbouring an “intention to commit acts of extremism which involved killing multiple victims”.

The three men were arrested when security services believed an attack was imminent after undercover officers infiltrated their online group.

A jury had rejected arguments the defendants were fantasists with no intention of carrying out their threats and found all three guilty of a charge of preparing acts of terrorism and charges of collecting information likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism.

Ringrose was also convicted of manufacturing a prohibited weapon.

Counter-terror police said the self-styled “militant” online group provided an “echo chamber of extreme right-wing views where they shared horrific racial slurs, glorified mass murderers and encouraged violence against anyone deemed an enemy”.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley said they were a group who “espoused vile racist views and advocated for violence, all to support their extreme right-wing mindset”.

“Some of their defence in court was that it was all fantasy or just part of harmless chat, however all three took real-world steps to plan and prepare for carrying out an attack on innocent citizens.”

He said it had been a complex case involving multiple police forces.

Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division, said the men plotted “violent acts of terrorism”.

“By their own admission, they were inspired by SS tactics and supremacist ideology.

“The prosecution case against the defendants included their disturbing Telegram and Facebook chats as well as acquiring military equipment such as riot shields, body armour and an arsenal of weapons found at their home addresses that were to be used in readiness for a ‘race war’.”

In her sentencing, Mrs Justice Cutts said she believed the defendants would be dangerous on their release from jail and gave all three extended sentences, with additional licence periods of eight years for Stewart and five years each for Ringrose and Pitzettu.

She said the trio’s ideology was “laid bare” in a 374-page dossier of internet activity put before the jury.

“These pages were filled with hate towards black and other non-white races, especially Muslim people and immigrants, with ideas of white supremacy and racial purity together with a belief that there must soon be a race war.”

This was coupled, she said, with the “glorification and admiration of the policies and actions of Hitler and the German Nazi Party, including antisemitism, and of mass killers who had targeted black or Muslim communities”.

The nine-week-long trial heard how the defendants formed an online group called Einsatz 14 in January 2024, with “like-minded extremists” who wanted to “go to war for their chosen cause”.

The jury was shown a short video Stewart posted of himself wearing a German army helmet, a Nazi armband and a skull face covering.

Prosecutors explained how Stewart discussed torturing a Muslim leader using his “information extraction kit” with an undercover officer.

Stewart called himself “Fuhrer” of the Einsatz 14 group and appointed an undercover officer called Blackheart as the “Obergruppenfuhrer”, which the other two defendants also joined.

Potential recruits were sent a vetting form and Stewart also developed a mission statement for the group which said its “basic duties” included to “target mosques, Islamic education centres and other similar locations”.

And he sent Blackheart details of the Islamic education centre on Mexborough Road in Leeds, including a Google Maps image.

The officer asked Stewart for more detailed information about the plan and he replied that they could smash windows or ambush someone, the court heard.

All three men will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years on release and to Terrorism Notification Requirements for 30 years.

BBC News