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Jeweller faces jail for gun gestures towards police at Westminster disorder

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August 12, 2024
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Russ Cooke say he can’t remember hurling racist abuse and making gun signs at police

A retired jeweller who made gun and knife gestures towards police in a torrent of abuse and racism during disorder in Westminster is facing jail.

Russ Cooke, 66, shouted that officers should be “put to the sword” and was heard referencing “f***ing Muslims” during the incident in Whitehall on July 31.

Westminster magistrates court heard Cooke also mentioned the IRA and was heard shouting “bang bang” as he pointed a gun sign at lines of police.

He has now pleaded guilty to three racially aggravated public order offences, and has been remanded in custody to await sentencing.

Disorder broke out in Whitehall that day at the end of an “Enough is Enough” protest, as large groups of people became embroiled in clashes with police while flares were launched at the Downing Street gates and a statue of Winston Churchill.

Prosecutor David Burns said Cooke, who had been drinking, was caught on police body-worn cameras as he was “shouting and pointing towards the direction of the officers”.

He said Cooke shouted “they are going to be put to the sword” before he made a gesture with his hand of slitting his throat.

Cooke called officers “mugs”, and said “no wonder they call them filth”, the court heard.

Mr Burns said offensive words were aimed at Muslims, and he also “made reference to the IRA while making a gun symbol with his hands, shouting ‘bang, bang’.”

Cooke, who has no previous convictions, told the court as he pleaded guilty that he cannot remember his actions on that day.

“I don’t remember none of it, I don’t know what to say”, he said from the dock.

The court heard Cooke, a retired jeweller from Islington, admits have a “serious drinking problem” and denies being a racist, saying he “got carried away due to being drunk”.

The court was also told he is on medication for mental health issues and has suffered a past heart attack.

District Judge Briony Clarke remanded Cooke in custody until a sentencing hearing at Inner London crown court later this week.

“Because of the context in which these offences were committed and the large scale disorder that took place at the time – not assisted by your involvement – my powers of sentencing in this court are insufficient”, she said, when deciding to send the case to the crown court.

“You travelled to the location from your home address and have taken part in widespread disorder, and made incredibly unpleasant comments.”

She added that she must remand him in custody because of a risk of further offending when drunk: “It seems you have a drinking problem and you haven’t been seeking any assistance.”

Earlier, a second man was sentenced after he shouted “paedo” at police officers during the same disorder in Westminster on July 31.

Christopher Jones, 52, admitted using abusive words towards officers who had been called out to tackle the disorder.

The court heard Jones was not charged with any criminal offence of violence and his lawyer insisted he was not accused of “general thuggery”.

Mr Burns said Jones was heard shouting that his son is a “f***ing 16-year-old kid” before adding “paedo”.

Sundeep Pankhania, mitigating, said Jones had been “behaving entirely appropriately” during the earlier protest in Westminster, and the offensive words were shouted “out of frustration and fear”.

“It is completely distinct from general thuggery”, he added.

Jones, who lives in Romford, pleaded guilty to a public order offence of using threatening or abusive words, and Judge Clarke ordered him to pay a £350 fine.

She noted he has past convictions for offences including criminal damage and theft, but no past incidents of public disorder.

Jones was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £140 victim surcharge.

“I suggest you steer clear of this sort of incident in future, and do not repeat this sort of behaviour”, she added.

Jones was arrested on Sunday and spent around 24 hours in custody before being released by the court.

A third defendant, Jason Guiver, 51, pleaded not guilty on Monday to an allegation of affray.

It is said Guiver, a £60,000-a-year commercial director at a payroll company, was “remonstrating” with police as they protected a cordon, allegedly made threats, and he is accused of pushing one of the officers.

Judge Clarke remanded Guiver, of Ongar in Essex, into custody until a hearing at Inner London crown court on September 9.

Evening Standard

Boy, 16, stole £15,000 worth of vapes during Merseyside violence

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August 10, 2024
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He was traced by police due to his ‘distinctive clothing’

A youth who stole vapes worth £15,000 appeared in court today in relation to violent disturbances across Merseyside.

Liverpool Magistrates Court heard that the 16 year-old , who cannot be identified due to legal restrictions, was caught on CCTV breaking a convenience store window with an electric scooter to snatch the vapes and was traced by his distinctive clothing.

The youngster, hailing from Stockbridge Village, was the first to stand before the court this morning. He was charged with violent disorder, two counts of burglary at non-residential properties; criminal damage to a police vehicle and assaulting an emergency worker, reports the Liverpool Echo.

He was amongst the four people who appeared before District Judge Healey on Saturday; the number of men and boys charged in connection to the violent disorder has now reached 25. It comes as violent rioting spread through the streets of Merseyside following the deaths of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, who were killed in the tragic Southport stabbings last month.

The court heard how the 16-year-old was seen on CCTV amongst a group who pulled a police officer off his bike before attacking him. He was also seen jumping on top of a police vehicle where the windscreen was then smashed. He was tracked on CCTV by his distinctive clothing and was seen running along Paradise Street before picking up an electric scooter to smash a window and taking items from SandS News in the city centre. He is seen leaving with a handful of vapes. The boy was later arrested.

Today, he pleaded guilty to all charges. The court has been adjourned for a pre-sentence report and he will appear for sentence on September 17. He was also granted conditional bail and told he was not allowed to enter the L1, L2 or L3 postcodes.

Andrew McIntyre, 39, of Cousins Lane, Rufford, was charged with encouraging an offence of murder; encouraging an either way offence namely violent disorder and possession of a bladed article, also appeared in the dock this morning from police custody.

Judge Healey told McIntyre that the case would need to be dealt with at Crown Court due to the seriousness of all charges. He will appear before Liverpool Crown Court on August 15 and no plea for bail was made today.

George Clements, 18, of Egerton Street, New Brighton, also appeared in Magistrates Court this morning, charged with affray. He pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court heard how on August 3 Clements was caught on footage fronting up members of the public wearing a face mask. In the footage he can be seen to kick out and throw things at members of the public who were clearly in distress. Judge Healey sent the case to Crown Court and he will appear for sentence on August 15. Clements was not granted bail.

Paul Daintith, of Fraser Street, Liverpool, appeared in court after he was found with a knife inside the area of a Section 60 order, which police put in place following the violent disorders across Merseyside over the last two weeks. The order, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, give officers enhanced stop and search powers to stop individuals in the area and is designed to minimise serious violence.

The court heard how the defendant was spotted by officers on East Street, in Southport, walking from the bushes at a quickening pace. The police officers spoke to Dantith where he told them he had just found a craft knife. He then proceeded to lift up his top and showed them the knife tucked into his waistband. Dantith was arrested. It was heard in court how during a police interview following his arrest, when asked why he had the knife, in his words “he was a smackhead who picks everything up.”

The case has been committed to Crown Court for sentence, because the defendant has previous conviction for a similar offence. He will appear at Liverpool Crown Court for sentence on August 15. Judge Healey denied bail and remanded Dantith in custody – the defendant turned his back to the judge as he told him he was denied bail – he shouted “w*****” as he was taken down into custody.

Manchester Evening News

More hearings in Liverpool as teenager pleads guilty to affray

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August 10, 2024
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Back at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, more people have appeared in the dock over their actions during the riots.

George Clements, 18, of New Brighton, Merseyside, has pleaded guilty to a charge of affray.

The court heard how, on August 3, Clements was in a small group of people wearing face masks “fronting up to members of the public” who were clearly distressed.

In footage of the event, Clements, who the court hears has a suspended sentence for dangerous driving, is seen kicking out and throwing objects at members of the public.

His case has been sent to Liverpool Crown Court, and he will appear for sentencing on 15 August. He has been granted bail in the meantime.

Sky News

Man jailed after 17-hour armed police siege where a pyrotechnic device was hurled at officers

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June 19, 2022
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Luke Stilwell, 40, threw a pyrotechnic device from a window at police

Before Luke Stilwell was arrested, he threw fireworks from his window and threatened police

A man has been jailed for four years and given an extended licence of four years for assaulting emergency workers, affray, possession of an imitation firearm and production of cannabis.

Luke Stilwell, 40, was arrested at his Turnock Gardens home in West Wick after he barricaded himself inside the property and threw a pyrotechnic device from the window at police officers.

The 17-hour siege happened between 11 am on Tuesday, January 25 and 4 am on Wednesday, January 26 and, caused a small number of neighbouring properties in Weston-super-Mare to be evacuated while a cordon was put in place as a precaution.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said: “Specialist officers including negotiators and armed officers, then worked with other emergency services to bring the incident to a safe conclusion with Stilwellleaving his property at 4am.”

Adding that Mr Stilwell admitted to affray, possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, nine counts of assaulting an emergency worker and the production of cannabis.

The statement continues: “When sentencing on Thursday 9 June His Honour Judge James Patrick said Stilwell’s actions were more than public servants should have to put up with.

“During the incident, Stilwell shone a laser device at the officers’ eyes and one officer’s hearing was affected after the pyrotechnic device went off next to them. Thankfully we’re not aware of any officer suffering lasting injury.”

Bristol Post

Three local men locked up for drunken fight at Chester beer garden

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December 23, 2021
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THREE men who began a drunken violent punch-up in a Chester pub’s beer garden have been put behind bars.

Kyle Slater, Thomas Nelson and Taylor Wolstencroft had all travelled from the Greater Manchester area to Chester on Wednesday, August 4 and, after being told to leave The Commercial Bar and Hotel that afternoon, returned to throw chairs, tables and punches, Chester Crown Court heard on Thursday, December 23.

Slater, 21, of Merehall Drive, Bolton; Nelson, 28, of Leaf Street, Bolton and Wolstencroft, 18, of Uplands Avenue, Radcliffe, were all locked up for 10 months by Judge Patrick Thompson.

The trio had previously pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to affray.

Prosecuting, Siôn Ap Mihangel said it was at about 4.30pm when the duty manager of The Commercial saw the three men sat at a table, arguing with people at another table, and the comment “f*** Chester” was heard from the group of men, among threats.

They were asked to leave and were ushered away via the alleyway leading to Northgate Street.

The manager returned inside and then saw a chair being thrown outside – the group had returned, and were throwing chairs, tables, bottles and punches.

One of the women who had been on the other table was seen covering her head.

The duty manager went outside and he was kicked to the stomach, landing on the floor on his tail bone, causing discomfort.

The three men ran off as extra staff intervened, and police were notified, with the trio being arrested in Chester.

CCTV footage showing Slater being the man who first threw a chair, as well as the rest of the fight, was played to all three defendants in court.

In police interview, Slater said he was very drunk and did not remember much, having gone to Chester with 12 friends initially, but the group had split up.

He had been drinking double JD and coke and was “feeling a bit tipsy”. He admitted the level of violence was “unacceptable” and that, with hindsight, he should have just walked away.

Wolstencroft declined to comment when asked if the man shown on CCTV was him.

Nelson said he had tried to calm the situation down at first, and initially succeeded as the group left, but accepted he had returned to the beer garden with them and ended up throwing a table.

Nelson had eight previous convictions for 11 offences, with Wolstencroft two previous convictions and Slater one previous conviction.

All three had football banning orders, and Wolstencroft had breached his in May 2021.

Judge Thompson said it was surprising that nowhere had it been mentioned in the case, other than in a probation officer’s report, that the three men had travelled from the Bolton area to Chester on the day Chester FC were playing Bolton Wanderers in a pre-season friendly that evening.

He said it was an “incredible coincidence” if the three, who previously had football banning orders, had travelled to Chester but were not later going to the football match.

Brian Treadwell, defending Slater and Nelson, said Nelson had tried to defuse the situation initially, but what followed was a joint enterprise.

He had made “full and frank admissions” in police interview.

Slater had one prior conviction for setting off a smoke bomb at a football stadium.

Jade Tufail, defending Wolstencroft, said there was a lack of maturity for the defendant and he accepted it was “a stupid thing to do”.

Judge Thompson said people in Chester were “sick and tired” of people coming to the city and being drunk and violent, so only immediate custody was appropriate.

He added Wolstencroft did not appear to take the court seriously by breaching his football banning order.

Bolton News

Nelson is part of the NWI mob from a few years ago.

Far-right Chelsea fan jailed for attack on Guardian’s Owen Jones

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July 25, 2020
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James Healy given prison term for ‘frenzied and unprovoked attack’ outside London pub

A Chelsea football fan was jailed for two years and eight months for committing an aggravated assault on the Guardian columnist Owen Jones with a “karate kick to his lower back”, motivated by hostility to the writer’s leftwing and LGBT politics.

James Healy, 40, from Portsmouth, was sentenced at Snaresbrook crown court for “a frenzied and wholly unprovoked attack” last August that took place in the street late at night after Jones had been out celebrating his birthday.

Recorder Anne Studd, the presiding judge, said there were “very significant aggravating factors” as she handed down the sentence to Healy at the high end of the range available.

The judge described Healy as “a man holding extreme rightwing opinions who attacked a victim who did no more than hold opinions on which the defendant did not agree”.

Two other men, Liam Tracey, 35, from Camden, London, and Charlie Ambrose, 31, from Brighton, were also sentenced for their part in the assault.

Tracey and Ambrose received an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years. Both had pleaded guilty last December although the conclusion of the case was delayed for several months due to the coronavirus crisis.

The court heard how Jones was attacked from behind by Healy at 2am outside the Lexington pub in King’s Cross, north London, having recognised the journalist and commentator in the pub earlier in the evening.

Jones was knocked to the ground and injured after being struck, and was “spared further blows only by the actions of the friends who were with him”, Studd said as she read out her judgment. A general fight then broke out involving Healy and the other two defendants.

In a victim impact statement, Jones said that while the injuries he sustained healed rapidly, there had been a longer lasting psychological impact. Despite previously being on the receiving end of online abuse, it was the first time he had been subject to a physical attack.

Philip McGhee, prosecuting, said Jones believed it was “harder to ignore online threats now” and that “he no longer feels he can walk alone, and will take taxis even for short distances as on account of this attack he feels at risk”.

The three men were not detained in the immediate aftermath of the fight in the street, but the court heard that they were arrested after they were recognised from CCTV footage by officers familiar with Chelsea supporters known to police.

Healy had at least nine convictions relating to football hooliganism stretching back to 1998. A search of his property after his arrest revealed a collection of far-right hooligan memorabilia, loosely connected with the Chelsea Youth Firm.

McGhee, prosecuting, said Healy possessed “a greeting card, which bore Nazi far-right extremist terror symbols, including those associated with the far-right Combat 18 group, one of whose tenets is ‘kill all queers’”.

Also discovered was a Nazi SS flag bearing a “totenkopf” death’s head skull symbol plus “a number of pins of badges”, including a circular pin badge with the “lead the way” and “whatever it takes” motto of Combat 18 and a badge that said “Chelsea FC no asylum seekers”.

Healy had pleaded guilty to the charges of actual body harm and affray but a special fact-finding hearing in January ruled that the “wholly unprovoked assault” was aggravated because Jones had been targeted because of his pro-LGBT and leftwing political views. Healy was also sentenced for 10 months for affray, served concurrently.

The judge concluded Jones had been identified in the pub by Healy or one of his friends earlier in the evening and that they had identified him as a target for attack.

CCTV footage showed Healy appearing to motion to friends outside the pub that Jones was leaving – and that he then followed him to launch “a running kick” on Jones in the small hours.

After the sentencing, Jones said: “Prison isn’t a solution to far right extremism: it’s a political problem which can’t be magicked away by custodial sentences. But if any good comes of this case, it’s to focus attention on a far-right threat which poses a violent threat to minorities and the left, including to those who have suffered far more than me”.

A Guardian spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the police and courts have now dealt with those responsible for this terrible attack. Assaults on journalists or political activists have no place in a decent society.”

The Guardian

Football hooligan from Portsmouth attacked Guardian columnist Owen Jones ‘because of his sexuality and left-wing views’, judge rules

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January 17, 2020
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A convicted football hooligan from Portsmouth launched an unprovoked attack on Guardian columnist and left-wing activist Owen Jones because of his sexuality and political views, a judge has ruled.

James Healy, 40, of Laburnum Grove in Portsmouth

James Healy, 40, of Laburnum Grove in Portsmouth

James Healy, 40, of Laburnum Grove, North End, admitted assaulting Mr Jones outside a pub in August last year, but claimed he ‘had the hump’ because the victim had bumped into him and spilled his drink.

But the Chelsea FC fan – who has a string of convictions for football-related violence – denied being motivated by Mr Jones’s sexuality or political campaigning, claiming he didn’t even know who he was.

Assaults deemed to be hate crimes can attract significantly longer sentences from the courts.

Following his arrest, a search of Healy’s home found a number of items connected to far-right ideology including a collection of pin badges linked to white supremacist groups.

Following a two-day hearing to determine Healy’s motive, Recorder Judge Anne Studd QC ruled on Friday that the unprovoked attack could only be motivated by Mr Jones’s media profile as a left-wing polemicist.

She said Healy had ‘plenty of opportunity to remonstrate’ with Mr Jones in the pub if he had unwittingly spilled his drink, and made no attempt to do so.

Instead he followed him outside and kicked him to the floor from behind.

She said: ‘Mr Jones can be seen (on CCTV) to leave the premises followed by Mr Healy and his co-defendants who can be seen looking across – he doesn’t approach him to remonstrate with him about the spilled beer.

This was a deliberate and targeted attack on Mr Jones personally.’

She continued: ‘I don’t find that this was motivated by a drink spillage – this was a brutal, surprise assault with no warning what so ever. It was clearly targeted.

‘I am satisfied so that I am sure that (Healy) holds particular beliefs that are normally associated with the far right wing.’

She added: ‘I therefore propose to sentence Mr Healy on the basis that this was a wholly unprovoked attack on Mr Jones by reason of his widely published left-wing beliefs by a man who has demonstrable right-wing sympathies.’

Mr Jones suffered cuts and swelling to his back and head, and bruises all down his body in the incident outside the Lexington pub on the Pentonville Road in Islington, north London, on August 17.

Among the incriminating items found at Healy’s home was a photograph of him as a teenager allegedly performing a Nazi salute. Healy also had a football hooligan flag adorned with SS symbols.

One of the items bore the name of the Combat 18 neo-Nazi group, whose stated aims include ‘execute all queers’, the court heard.

A birthday card featuring a St George’s flag, skull and crossbones and the words: ‘You have been nominated and dealt with by the Chelsea Headhunters’, in reference to the notorious hooligan firm, was also recovered.

Healy said the items dated back to his time in the violent Chelsea Youth Firm.

He claimed he had kept them because he is a hoarder, and that he did not know the memorabilia’s connection to the far-right and white supremacist movements.

Asked if he held homophobic or racist views, he replied: ‘No, it’s 2020.’

Healy said that, in the photograph in which he is allegedly performing a Nazi salute, his arm is held out to the right to show off his Chelsea Youth Firm tattoo.

‘I’ve looked up the Nazi salute online, I’ve never seen a picture where their arm is out to the side – it’s always out in front,’ he said.

In her ruling, Judge Studd accepted that it could not be proven Healy was performing a Nazi salute in the picture.

In his evidence, Mr Jones said: ‘I’m an unapologetic socialist, I’m an anti-racist, I’m an anti-fascist and I’ve consistently used my profile to advocate left-wing causes.’

Mr Jones has almost one million Twitter followers, 125,000 followers on Instagram and 350,000 followers on Facebook.

‘Almost every single day I am the subject of an unrelenting campaign (of abuse) by far-right sympathisers,’ he said.

He added: ‘In January last year, I was informed by an anti-fascist organisation I had become one of the main hate figures of online far-right extreme Facebook groups.’

The level of threat prompted the Guardian to hire security team for him.

Mr Jones denied spilling Healy’s drink, insisting: ‘That absolutely did not happen.

‘If I thought I had accidentally spilled someone’s drink, I would apologise profusely, I would say ‘I’m so sorry’ and I would insist – whether they liked it or not – on buying them another drink.’

The defendant pleaded guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at a previous hearing.

Healy’s co-defendants Charlie Ambrose, 30, from Brighton, and Liam Tracey, 34, from Camden, who have previously pleaded guilty to affray over the incident, are due to be sentence on February 11.

Ambrose and Tracey previously both denied a charge of ABH and the charge was left to lie on file, with prosecutors accepting their actions were not motivated by homophobia.

A date for Healy’s sentencing has yet to be set.

Portsmouth News

Eaglescliffe weapons cache man Simon Flint jailed

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December 16, 2019
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A man who amassed an arsenal of weapons including explosives, knives and rocket mortars has been jailed for 30 months.

Simon Flint was arrested after a row with youths near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in June in which he pointed a loaded crossbow at them.

He had earlier admitted affray and possessing a prohibited weapon.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 42-year-old, of Meadowfield Drive, Eaglescliffe, had a fixation with weapons.

After his arrest, police searched a camper van in which he was living and found a “significant collection” of weapons, which also included swords, pepper spray and chemicals that could be used to make improvised explosive devices.

Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, told the court police searched his electronic devices and found videos of him blowing up an apple, a cucumber and a laptop computer.

He told police he thought the effect was “hilarious”, but he understood it may be illegal.

The court heard he told officers he had a fascination with “making things go bang”.

‘Unorthodox interests’

Flint had got into a row with some youths and when a dog walker went to be a peace-maker, the defendant pointed his crossbow at them, Mr Perks said.

Mr Perks said Flint was found to possess a number of stab vests, adding: “I think these acquisitions stem from a skewed sense of his need to defend himself.”

Mark Styles, defending, said: “His unorthodox interests have led to the situation he is now in.

“We have to concede he is certainly eccentric but he is not mentally ill.”

Judge Howard Crowson jailed him for two-and-a-half years, giving Flint credit for his guilty pleas.

Outside court, Gary Fotherill of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Flint appears to have been motivated by a compulsion to master the technical process of constructing improvised explosive devices and to use these to blow up inanimate objects for his own entertainment.”

BBC News

Man admits explosive making equipment and weapons charges

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December 9, 2019
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A MAN has pleaded guilty to a number of charges in connection with the possession of weapons and explosive making equipment.

Simon Flint had a huge collection of weapons, including more than 100 knives, improvised explosive crossbow bolts and a catalogue of components to build his own bombs, including potential pipe bombs.

The 42-year-old was due to stand trial this morning after being charged with seven offences following a police operation in Bishop Auckland on Friday, June 28.

However, this morning he pleaded guilty to three charges – affray and two charges of possession of explosive substances. He had already pleaded guilty to a number of offences at Durham Crown Court.

olyon Perks, prosecuting, said the defendant accepted that he had acquired the parts needed to construct an improvised explosive device.

He added that the defendant used improvised devices to blow up fruit and a laptop computer.

Mr Flint, who has an address at Meadowfield Drive, Eaglescliffe, but is understood to have lived in a campervan for a number of years, was charged with making threats to kill, possession of an explosive substance, two charges of possession of offensive weapons, possession of a weapon for the discharge of pepper spray, two charges of possession of a bladed article in public and a public order offence.

Among the items listed in the charges were three crossbows, a friction locking baton, lock knives and swords including one measuring 2ft long.

The precision engineer is also accused of possession of an explosive black powder, a weapon designed to discharge a noxious gas or liquid – namely pepper spray, and of using abusive, threatening or insulting words or behaviour to cause alarm.

Judge Howard Crowson adjourned the case for sentence and remanded Flint into custody.

He said: “We have admitted your offences and the next stage is sentencing but we will want to that right and it can be a little complicated, this piece of the law, so the lawyers are going to make sure they help me as much as they can and get this right.”

Vincent Fuller: White supremacist jailed for launching far-right terror attack a day after Christchurch shootings

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September 10, 2019
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A far-right terrorist who tried to kill Muslims in a rampage the day after the Christchurch attack has been jailed for more than 18 years.

Vincent Fuller shouted “all Muslims should die, white supremacists rule” after watching a Facebook livestream broadcast by the shooter.

The 50-year-old attacked cars with non-white drivers with a baseball bat in Stanwell, Surrey, then prowled the streets armed with a knife searching for more targets.

Kingston Crown Court heard that Fuller stabbed a teenager of Bulgarian heritage as he sat in a car with friends outside Tesco, telling him: “You’re going to die.”

The attack was declared a terrorist incident by police the following day but while Fuller admitted a string of offences including attempted murder, he denied committing an act of far-right terror.

Judge Peter Lodder QC found the stabbing had a “terrorist connection” on Tuesday and jailed Fuller for 18 years and nine months.

“This was an act of attempted murder and, as I have found, this was a terrorist act,” he told the court, after finding the stabbing was motivated by white supremacy and anti-Muslim hatred.

The attack unfolded on 16 March, the day after 51 Muslims were massacred at mosques in Christchurch.

“Vincent got a bit angry about the news from New Zealand because he said, ‘it is always them, the Muslims that get looked after and get cared about’,” his girlfriend told police.

Shortly before starting his rampage, Fuller wrote a Facebook post reading: “I am English, no matter what the government say. Kill all the non-English and get them all out of England.”A second post published half an hour later afterwards added: “I agree with what that man did in New Zealand as we will not be brainwashed to this their wrong [sic].”

Prosecutors said he first attacked a neighbour’s home with a baseball bat, calling the woman of Indian descent a “black c***”.

Neighbours heard Fuller shouting “kill Muslims” and “white supremacy”, with one woman reporting he said: “All Muslims should die, white supremacists rule. I’m going to murder a Muslim.”

After the woman refused to answer her door, Fuller walked down the road attacking cars and shouting racist insults and threats at drivers.

A Facebook post made by Vincent Fuller shortly before he started his attack in Stanwell, Surrey, on 16 March 2019

“I’m going to f***ing kill you, I’m going to f***ing cut your throat you black bastard,” he shouted at one driver, before attacking an Uber driven by a Muslim man.

Fuller broke the bat after attacking several vehicles, then went back home and armed himself with a knife.

He walked towards a Tesco supermarket, where a 19-year-old Bulgarian man was in his car talking to friends.

Witnesses said they saw Fuller approaching with a 12in knife with a black blade before he asked the teenagers: “Do you want to get hurt?”

The court heard that the victim replied “what?” before Fuller told him: “You’re going to die.”

The driver attempted to start his car to escape but Fuller lunged through the open window and stabbed him in the hand and neck.

He managed to drive to a nearby McDonald’s and received first aid, before undergoing three hours of surgery.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said the teenager was targeted because he has lightly-tanned skin and was sat next to a friend with a long beard.

“His conduct was motivated by racist and religious hatred, bolstered by the consumption of alcohol,” he told the court.

Vincent Fuller, 50, went on a rampage armed with a knife and baseball bat in the Surrey town of Stanwell on 16 March 2019

”His intention was to strike fear into the hearts of people he described as ‘non-English’, in particular Muslims.”

Fuller, of Viola Avenue in Stanwell, was arrested a short distance away after being Tasered by police and initially denied carrying out the attack.

He later admitted attempted murder, possession of a bladed article, affray and racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

Prosecutors said he called police officers “dirty immigrant scum” while being arrested, adding: “Dirty race traitor, I hope your kids die. I hope your f***ing family die.”

Fuller added: “I hope Syrians come over and rape your children. I hope Isis comes over and rapes your children.”

The court heard that he bore animosity towards police over an investigation of allegations made by his ex-girlfriend.

The day before the attack, Fuller rejected a request to attend a voluntary interview over threatening Facebook messages, calling the officer a “little girl” and telling her to “f*** off”.

A friend who spent time with him on the morning of the attack said he was “preoccupied with the fact that the police wanted to speak to him”, and saw television news about the Christchurch attack shortly afterwards.

In a police interview, Fuller admitted watching the shooter’s video and writing the Facebook posts, but “said he was angry and did not mean it”.

A baseball bat used by Vincent Fuller, 50, to attack cars in the Surrey town of Stanwell on 16 March 2019

He tested positive for cannabis and alcohol, and told police he had downed a large bottle of cider and three cans of strong lager.

Fuller has 24 previous convictions for 59 offences, including a six-year prison sentence in 1998 for stealing handbags from elderly women.

Benjamin Waidhofer, defending, told the court on Friday that his client had no historic links to terrorism and his actions stemmed from family problems “rather than an attempt to further a cause”.

But prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said that if someone had praised the London Bridge terror attacks, said they were going to kill non-Muslims and then stabbed someone, then that would “obviously be terrorism”.

The Stanwell incident is one of several alleged terror attacks and plots inspired in part by the Christchurch shooting, which saw the perpetrator publish a lengthy manifesto detailing a theory that white people are being “replaced” by Muslims.

Brenton Tarrant has been described as a “saint” on extremist forums and cited as an inspiration by white supremacists who carried out shooting massacres in El Paso and Poway.

On Monday, the head of UK counter-terror policing revealed that security services had foiled 15 Islamist and seven far-right attacks since March 2017.

The Independent