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Cheshire teen locked up for terrorism offences described himself as ‘literal Nazi’

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June 3, 2022
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A Cheshire teenager who downloaded terrorist documents and posted vile racism online described himself as a ‘literal Nazi’. Right-wing extremist Mason Yates, 19, was referred to the counter-terrorism strategy Prevent when he was just 13 – and now he has been locked up for 30 months.

Police found copies of ‘100 Deadly Skills’, which provides instructions on knife attacks and making explosive devices, and the ‘White Resistance Manual’, giving directions on how to carry out ‘mass murder’ in advance of a ‘race war’, on his phone, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Yates, of Elstreet Court, Widnes, developed an ‘unsavoury obsession’ with right wing politics, Manchester Crown Court heard. His lawyer said Yates, who also displayed an interest in the murderer behind mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, spent hours on his computer and became ‘even more isolated’ during the pandemic.

Yates’ vile posts on the Telegram app were revealed after an undercover police officer posed as an extremist. Yates, then 17, was part of a Telegram channel featuring a network of like-minded young people with hateful views.

On Snapchat he said he was trying to convert someone to ‘hate ni*****, gays and Muslims’. In a voice note on Telegram he said the ‘real problem’ was with Jews, and said the British Army is ‘full of ni*****, gays and females who fight for the Jew’.

Yates, who was also found with disgusting extreme pornography – which he also claimed to find abhorrent – downloaded the two terrorist documents from the Telegram channel, prosecutor Philip McGhee said. Police went to arrest him at his home in January 2021, at 7am while he was asleep in a bedroom, where he had a ‘white pride’ flag.

Officers seized his mobile phone and returned it to him a few days later, after it had been wiped and had been restored to factory settings. When officers arrested him again in May, they discovered that Yates had downloaded ‘100 Deadly Skills’ and the ‘White Resistance Manual’ again.

“I don’t think they realise, raiding our houses f****** radicalises us more,” Yates told a friend. He told police had gone down a ‘rabbit hole’ online.

Yates said: “No matter like how far my ideology went, in no point did I ever intend to want to like or plan, never a thing or anything to hurt anyone.” Just a few days ago, Yates made a payment of £39.98 to a website called Knife Warehouse. Prosecutors said there was no evidence available to reveal what he had bought.

Yates, a trainee scaffolder, was first referred to Prevent when he was 13, when a ‘school visit’ was conducted with his parents. Concerns had been raised that Yates had been in discussion with chat rooms with young people of a similar age, discussing how they could defeat ISIS by raising awareness of ISIS activity to protect citizens.

Then when he was aged 16, he was referred to Prevent by his college, who noted he attended class wearing a UKIP bracelet and discussed his political views in a ‘strong manner’. In class discussions, Yates was reported to have said ‘I haven’t got just an issue with Muslims, it’s the whole of Islam’, and ‘I haven’t been radicalised, I would be the one radicalising other people’.

He also said: “I’m as far right as you can be.” The referral was closed after Yates’ father declined help from the authorities.

Defending, Nicola Gatto said Yates was capable of ‘change’ and ‘de-radicalisation’. She said he had no friends at school and became ‘isolated’, spending hours on his computer.

His online network made him feel like he was ‘part of a family’. She claimed that he’d been groomed online and said it could be ‘dangerous’ for him to be jailed where he may come across other more sophisticated criminals.

Sentencing, Judge Alan Conrad QC said: “For some years you have held an extreme right wing mindset, expressing hatred towards a number of minorities, religious, ethnic and other groups. Posts by you have endorsed those who have committed atrocities in the name of such warped ideology.

“Your views are abhorrent to all right-thinking people. You have hate for all sorts of people who have not harmed you and who pose no threat to you.

“What has been seen of you tends to show isolation and an inability or unwillingness to engage with others and form relationships, and, as I have found in dealing with a number of these cases, are a common feature involving young men who – in their own homes – communicate with others of like mind to express their poisonous ideology and enter into very dangerous waters on the internet and via social media, obtaining extreme pornography and texts of which are of use to those interested in terrorism.”

Yates pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a document likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism; and possessing extreme pornography.

Following the case, Detective Chief Inspector Clare Devlin, from CTPNW, said: “This was a thorough and comprehensive investigation which has resulted in Yates facing imprisonment for 30 months.

“Today’s sentencing reaffirms our commitment to making sure those who pose a risk to our society will be pursued and prosecuted. Extremists using this kind of ideology can create fear and distrust among our communities and CTPNW is committed to finding those responsible and bringing them to justice.

“Reports of this nature are always taken seriously and we would encourage anyone with any concerns around people expressing extremist views to call the UK Anti-Terrorism Hotline in confidence on 0800 789 321, or alternatively, use the secure online form at Gov.uk/ACT.”

Cheshire Live

Man jailed for membership of banned neo-Nazi group National Action

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May 28, 2022
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A man from Muswell Hill has been jailed for being an “active” member of the banned far-right group National Action.

David Musins, of Creighton Avenue, admitted to belonging to a proscribed organisation at the Old Bailey on March 14.

The 36-year-old was handed a three-year jail term at the same court on Friday (May 27).

Judge Anthony Leonard QC said the circumstances made it hard to come to any other view than to conclude that Musins was “fully immersed in the ideology of the group”.

Rejecting his plea for a suspended sentence, the judge said: “Your involvement in the organisation was substantial.”

His involvement – over a period from around March 2016 to September 2017 – included attending the London branch of National Action, as well as events held in Derbyshire, Darlington and Swindon.

He was also involved in a promotional video for the group, which changed its name to NS131 after becoming a proscribed organisation in December 2016.

That level of involvement saw the judge arrive at an original starting point of six years in custody.

The final term reached came as a result of reductions to reflect guilty plea, and to account for the mitigating circumstances offered.

In terms of mitigation, the judge acknowledged that Musins left the group of his own accord, and that he sought help from a therapist following his arrest.

He had no previous convictions.

While “significant”, the judge maintained those factors did not “expunge” behaviour and beliefs he described as “abhorrent”.

“You accept that you became involved with some very dangerous people over the internet while you were a member of National Action,” he remarked.

The judge further acknowledged that the 36-year-old did not know National Action was a proscribed group, but said this did not alter his sentencing.

In a letter written to the court, Musins admitted to becoming a “racist in a separatist sense” during this period.

The judge said those beliefs demonstrated a “commitment to hostility”, which supported his view that a custodial sentence must be imposed.

Musins was arrested by counter-terrorism officers on November 10, 2021 and charged with the offence on February 4 this year.

He will serve a further year on extended licence following the conclusion of his custodial sentence.

HamHigh

British boy, 14, who downloaded bombmaking guides avoids jail

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May 20, 2022
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Teenager from Darlington thought to be the youngest person in UK charged with terrorism offences

A teenager who downloaded guides to making bombs, and is thought to be the youngest person in the UK charged with terrorism offences, has avoided jail after being sentenced to a referral order.

The UK’s chief magistrate, Judge Paul Goldspring, sitting at Newton Aycliffe youth court in County Durham, said that if the 14-year-old boy had been an adult, he would be facing a jail sentence of up to five years.

The boy, from Darlington, downloaded substantial amounts of material on how to make weapons and bombs and how to start a militia. He expressed admiration for the Columbine High school massacre and came to the attention of counter terror police when, on social media, he talked about blowing up an orphanage.

He had an interest in the far right and posted messages and material that was racist, homophobic, antisemitic and Islamophobic. He was 11 when he downloaded an image of Adolf Hitler from 1933.

The boy told the judge that it was all a fantasy and bravado, and that he would never have carried out the kind of attacks he talked about online.

The court heard that the boy was on the autism spectrum. He first appeared at Westminster magistrates court in January when he admitted three counts of possessing material useful to a terrorist.

The judge said the views expressed by the boy were “disgusting”.

“Just about every minority receives your vitriol, and the terminology you used was concerning and abhorrent in equal measure.”

But the judge added that imposing a custodial sentence would undo all the rehabilitation the boy had achieved over the past year.

Defence solicitor, Stephen Andrews, said the boy had experienced traumatic family events which had taken their toll. “You have before the courts a very complex young man, showing signs of both extreme naivety and vulnerability, at the same time as elements of sophistication.”

Andrews said the boy was bullied and extremely isolated, and the internet appeared to be a way of changing that, a way of making himself “look cool”.

He continued: “All of a sudden, he has an identity. All of a sudden he belongs to something. All of a sudden he is part of a group.”

The judge questioned to the boy directly, telling him that he was taking a risk by not imposing a custodial sentence.

He asked about his interests – football and hanging out with mates – and whether he held the views he espoused online. “No,” the boy replied “It doesn’t matter what religion or race you are.”

Det Supt Matthew Davison, the regional Prevent co-ordinator at Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said the case illustrated how young people can be radicalised in a strikingly short space of time. “Crossing the line from things that can be quite innocent into what can become criminal can be very quick and very short.”

Davison said the pandemic and lockdowns had led to young people spending more time online, alone in their bedrooms, and that was a concern.

“It can be quite a short journey and that’s why it’s so important for families, friends, parents or guardians to be aware of the signs to look out for. They should trust their instincts and act early.

“Our mantra is, the earlier we can act, the more we can prevent people progressing down the road to criminality.”

The Guardian

‘Ashamed’ Hells Angels leader from Sunderland bitten by police dog, arrested and jailed after violence during counter-demonstration at Black Lives Matter march in Newcastle

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May 9, 2022
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An “arrogant” Hells Angels leader is behind bars after getting involved in large-scale violence during a counter demonstration at a Black Lives Matter march.

Widespread trouble flared when members of North East Frontline Patriots, Protect the Monument from Black Lives Matter and other groups, including Hells Angels and veterans, attended the organised demonstration in Newcastle in June 2020.

The counter protestors said they were there to “protect” the city’s Grey’s Monument from the Black Lives Matter demonstrators and around 1,000 people in total gathered round the statue that day, including police officers.

The monument is an 1838 Grade I-listed memorial to Charles Grey whose government enacted the Slavery Abolition Act.

However, the act is controversial as it compensated slave owners for the loss of their “property”.

Newcastle Crown Court heard both groups stated they planned a “peaceful” protest.

But prosecutor Jolyon Perks told the court from about 2pm that day, parts of the crowd became hostile and violent and police officers, dogs and horses were injured as well as members of the public.

Objects including glass bottles, metal cans and smoke grenades were thrown.

Mr Perks said police officers were hit by missiles and suffered injuries ranging from redness to bruising, a dislocated finger and one had his foot trampled by a horse trying to avoid an object, which led to eight weeks off work.

One police horse had blood coming from the mouth, another needed treatment to a cut leg and one service dog suffered a wound to the face from a bottle that was thrown.

A 17-year-old who attended to peacefully demonstrate with the Black Lives Matter group was hit by a bottle as she tried to get away from the violence and suffered a wound to the head.

The court heard Colin Green is the leader of the Tyne and Wear Chapter of the Hells Angels and he was caught on CCTV among the counter protesters.

He threw no missiles or punches but was shown on the footage to be running at police, refusing to leave and ended up being bitten by a police dog then taken to hospital.

The 58-year-old of Church Street, Sunderland, who lives in accommodation provided by the Chapter and works at their bar, admitted violent disorder and has now been jailed for 29 months.

Judge Edward Bindloss said: “He is an influential figure of the Hells Angels in this area.

“My assessment of him on the footage is of him walking around in a cool, calm and arrogant manner, walking up to police, going behind police, striding around in a way that made me assess him as someone who thought he was untouchable.”

Judge Bindloss said Green played a “significant part” in what happened that day and added: “It could have been open to him to say to those in his chapter ‘we are off’, ‘we are leaving the scene’, ‘let’s go’.

“He chose not to do so.”

Nick Lane, defending, handed in references to Green’s ordinarily positive character.

Mr Lane said Green is “deeply ashamed and embarrassed by his conduct on the day” and has been involved in charity work including providing Covid hampers during lockdowns and planning events such as the Armed Services Day event in South Shields.

Christopher Butters, 42, of Moorland Avenue, Bedlington, Northumberland, was jailed for 31 months at the same hearing.

He also admitted violent disorder and had been shown on CCTV throwing missiles at police after he was hit by a mounted officer’s baton.
Sunderland Echo

Byker football yob jailed for city centre riot against Black Lives Matter protest

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May 5, 2022
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Michael O’Brien, of Byker, had been among a group of Newcastle United supporters who stormed a Burnley pub just six months before the shameful city centre scenes



A convicted football yob has been jailed for taking part in a city centre riot when a baying mob clashed with Black Lives Matter supporters.

Just six months before participating in the shameful scenes in Newcastle, Michael O’Brien was one of a group of Newcastle United supporters who stormed a pub in Burnley after an away game. He was subsequently jailed for two years for that violent disorder.

Now O’Brien, who volunteers at a youth football club, and two other men – one of them, like O’Brien, said to be wearing a cap showing affiliation to “football risk groups”, have been locked up for their part in a loud and intimidating disturbance in June 2020.

Police officers, horses and dogs were injured, along with members of the public, as around 1,000 people, in two opposing groups, gathered at Grey’s Monument. A peaceful protest planned in support of the Black Lives Matter movement was met by counter-protesters who threw cans, bottles and other missiles.

Two men were jailed for their parts in the violent disorder on Tuesday and now O’Brien, Ronald Short and Ryan Barlow have joined them behind bars with all three sentenced to 27 months.

Newcastle Crown Court heard O’Brien, 55, of Beresford Gardens, Byker, Newcastle, who was wearing a Green Bay Packers cap, moved to the front of the counter-protest after flares were thrown by the Black Lives Matter group. He remonstrated with officers and was pushed away but refused to retreat.

The court heard he raised his hands to a member of the public who was shouting at him to go away and police intervened but he tried to move towards the Black Lives Matter group and police had to stop him.

He went on to tussle with police and tried to stop them detaining an offender then threw a can, hitting an officer on his helmet then joining in a surge. O’Brien was then seen to punch a member of the public, who was then also hit by someone else.

He was picked out by a football spotter who recognised him. The 55-year-old has 10 previous convictions, including for violent disorder six months before the city centre riot, after travelling to a Newcastle United match at Burnley and became involved in violence in a pub. He was jailed for two years and given a Football Banning Order for that.

Short, 28, of Stockwell Greet, Walkerville, Newcastle, who has previous convictions for threatening behaviour, battery and drunk and disorderly, was seen on footage wearing a Newcastle United face mask and a Green Bay Packers cap. Others were wearing the same cap and prosecutors suggested “this meant he has an affiliation to football risk groups”.

The court heard he was seen to pick up an item and hurl it towards the police and Black Lives Matter group then he searched the floor and found three more missiles which he threw, according to prosecutors but he pleaded guilty on the basis he only threw two items.

Barlow, 28, of Parklands Way, Felling, Gateshead, who has no previous convictions, who was not said to be affiliated with any specific group, was seen to throw a can of Stella Artois toward the police and Black Lives Matter supporters, which contributed to an escalation in a tense situation.

He was asked to leave by police but refused and was seen with his arms up joining in chanting. He was then seen to pick up items from the floor and threw them at mounted police.

One police officer on a horse was struck in the head and Barlow then threw a carrier bag containing items, possibly bottles or cans, which hit a horse in the face and head then landed on a police dog.

Helen Towers, for O’Brien, said there were a number of references for him and said he volunteers at a youth football club. She added that he had been elected by fellow prisoners as a violence reduction representative and has “excelled” in prison.

Miss Towers added: “He accepts full responsibility for his completely unacceptable behaviour. He bitterly regrets his actions and is determined to turn his life around.”

Jonathan Cousins, for Short, said: “When he got out of bed that morning to attend this protest it was not with any intention to commit acts of violence. He understands it was completely unacceptable and he regretted what he did almost immediately after it happened and has regretted it ever since.”

Brian Hegarty, for Barlow, said he threw a can he was drinking from as an “instinctive reaction” to items being thrown from the other group. He added: “What he did was reckless but not intended to hurt anybody and he very much hopes he didn’t hurt anybody.”

Mr Hegarty said Barlow was not linked to any of the groups who attended and had gone there after reading about the protest on Facebook. He added: “He is embarrassed and ashamed of himself about getting involved. He fully accepts what he did was stupid and he should not have put himself in that position. He has shown remorse and was at a low ebb at the time.”

Newcastle Chronicle

Rioting Black Lives Matter counter-protesters left Newcastle city centre police officers, horses and dogs hurt

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May 4, 2022
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Thugs from the counter-demonstration began throwing glass bottles, metal cans and smoke grenades in chaotic scenes at Grey’s Monument

Police officers, horses, dogs and members of the public were injured during a riot caused by thugs demonstrating against a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest.

Member of a counter-demonstration chose to attend Grey’s Monument in Newcastle city centre at the same time as the planned show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and some came prepared for a violent showdown. Ugly and frightening scenes on a Saturday afternoon were captured on CCTV as a barrage of bottles, cans and smoke grenades were thrown while around 1,000 people gathered and 180 police officers were verbally abused as they tried to keep the two groups apart.

Several Northumbria Police officers, animals and members of the public were hurt in the appalling outbreak of violence. Now three of those responsible – children’s football coach Christopher Bone, then-council worker Craig Hornsby and ex joiner Neil Drummond – have been sentenced for violent disorder at Newcastle Crown Court. Around 30 people have pleaded guilty and are to be sentenced in the coming days.

The court heard there was a peaceful demonstration planned in support of Black Lives Matter on Saturday June 13, 2020. However police were told a group called the North East Front Line Patriots, along with Hell’s Angels, veterans and some with a history of football violence, were to hold a counter demonstration at the same time in the same place.

The counter-protesters claimed to be there to protect Grey’s Monument from anarchists but a judge said it was the counter-protesters who were responsible for the bulk of the violence, which they started and continued. Despite repeated warnings by police to disperse, a hardcore of 50 to 60 remained for hours.

Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said: “From 2pm, some protesters became hostile and instigated public disorder. Objects were thrown at police and protesters, including glass bottles, metal cans and smoke grenades.

“Several police officers, service animals, including a number of dogs and horses and members of the public were injured.” One PC at the back of the counter protest was hit in the base of the neck by a full, unopened can of lager. He stumbled forward and was then hit on the back of his helmet with a glass bottle.

An inspector was hit in the chest by a can of lager and a bottle smashed at his feet. He also saw someone grabbing a police officer’s baton and witnessed a horse bleeding from its mouth and another horse with a cut to its leg.

Another PC was struck with a bottle to his hand and suffered a dislocated finger and a colleague suffered an injured foot when a missile was thrown towards a horse and it jumped back and stood on his foot.

The court heard police horse Peroni was hit in the face with a full can of beer and also suffered a cut leg while police dog, Ivan, suffered a cut to his eyebrow.

One PC was hit in the face with a can of lager and another was punched in the face by a counter-protester. Another was bitten by a police dog after someone antagonised it.

The court heard a 17-year-old girl in the Black Live Matter group decided to leave the demonstration and as she did so was struck in the back of the head by a beer bottle. She needed hospital treatment for a wound to her head.

Bone was present in the area from that morning and footage shows him marshalling and beckoning others to move towards the police line and he was seen aggressively gesturing towards the other group.

He was seen to throw a can which appeared to strike a senior police officer. He was later seen picking up a plastic bag and throwing it and it’s contents at the police line, striking an officer. He also obstructed efforts by the police to move the group back and continued pointing and shouting and pushing.

The court heard Bone’s previous convictions include rioting in Portugal during the Euros in 2008 and failing to comply with a Football Banning Order.

Hornsby threw a bottle towards the police line. He then threw a further three bottles at the police and Black Lives Matter group. Mr Perks said: “A PC was struck in the body and smashed glass caused injury to police horses and dogs and a member of the public was struck.”

Drummond was with a group of protesters chanting and shouting towards the Black Lives Matter group and took part in a racist song. He was also seen ranting at police about not allowing anarchy in the city and said he wanted to “protect our statues against anarchy and liberalism”.

Sentencing them, Judge Edward Bindloss said he gave little or no weight to the argument they had been there to protect the monument from anarchists and said: “The bulk of the violence and the bulk of the necessity for the police being there was to hold back the counter-protesters.”

Bone, 46, of Affleck Street Gateshead, Hornsby, 52, of Wordsworth Close, Hexham, and Drummond, 65, of Audley Road, South Gosforth, Newcastle, all admitted violent disorder. Bone was jailed for 29 months, Hornsby got 38 months and Drummond got two years suspended for two years with a one month curfew. His sentence was only suspended on medical grounds as he has cancer, including a brain tumour.

Elizabeth Muir, for Bone, said references “speak of a different man to the man one can see behaving atrociously on the CCTV”.

She added: “He is a qualified football coach and has been very much involved in children’s football coaching. That’s why this behaviour is so utterly appalling.” Miss Muir said Bone’s son, who has suffered serious health issues, and partner would suffer by him being jailed.

Christopher Bone, jailed for violent disorder

Andrew Turton, for Hornsby, said he is remorseful and didn’t attend intending to cause trouble and that his main concern was to protect the Grey’s Monument statue. He said throwing missiles was a reaction to items being thrown the other way.

Craig Hornsby, jailed for violent disorder

He added that he was brought up with a military background and denies being aligned to any groups or being a member of any hate crime groups or holding racist values. He was a tenancy support officer at Derwentside Council but was sacked as a result of the offence.

Tom Bennett, for Drummond, said he claimed he had gone to town to go shopping, despite it being the height of lockdown and became concerned damage would be done as it had been to statues in other areas.

But Judge Bindloss remarked: “All of the people I have to sentence are counter-protesters. People are saying they are here to defend people from anarchists – the only people committing violence were Mr Drummond and his ilk.”

Mr Bennett added that Drummond is having treatment for cancer and is now reliant on others.
Newcastle Chronicle

Logan Mwangi: mother, stepfather and unnamed teen found guilty of murder

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April 21, 2022
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Angharad Williamson, John Cole and teenager murdered five-year-old boy after months of abuse, jury finds

A five-year-old boy was murdered by his mother, stepfather and a 14-year-old youth after months of abuse and imprisonment in the “dungeon” of his small, dark bedroom, a jury has found.

After Logan Mwangi died of the sort of injuries usually found in people who have been involved in a road accident or a fall from a height, Angharad Williamson, John Cole and the teenage boy tried to escape justice by dumping the boy’s body in a river and calling police to report they feared he had been kidnapped.

Angharad Williamson and John Cole. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Cardiff crown court heard that in the months before Logan was killed he vanished from the sight of authorities, with his family using the pandemic as an excuse for locking him away.

An inquiry has been launched to examine whether there were chances to save Logan after it emerged that the authorities knew about some of the injuries he sustained in the months before he died.

The inquiry will also look at what was known of Cole’s past. It can now be revealed that his violent history includes a previous attack on a child, and he is said to have had an interest in the National Front. The court heard that Cole hated Logan’s similarity in looks to his natural father, who is of Kenyan heritage, suggesting racism may have played a part in his attitude towards Logan.

Another issue is why death threats against Logan allegedly made by the 14-year-old in the weeks before the murder were not acted on by the authorities.

As Williamson was found guilty, she fell to the floor, screaming: “No, no, no.” While she was being led from the court, Williamson struggled with the dock officers and shouted at Cole: “You lying motherfucking murderer.”

Outside court, Logan’s father, Ben Mwangi, said: “Logan was the sweetest and most beautiful boy. The world is a colder and darker place without his warm smile and the happy energy. I loved him so much and I have to live my life knowing that I will never get to see him grow up to be the wonderful man he would have been.”

In her closing speech, Caroline Rees QC said Logan was “dehumanised” by each of the defendants. She said: “He had been kept like a prisoner in his small bedroom, a room described by Angharad Williamson as like a dungeon, with the curtains closed and a barred child’s gate stopping him from moving about.”

When his body was examined, it was bruised, grazed and scratched from head to toe, with more than 50 injury sites – and many more individual injuries – recorded. He suffered damage to his brain, liver and stomach. Rees said his death would have been slow and painful.

The prosecutor said that after killing Logan the three defendants plotted to “clean up the scene and put a trail in place to lead the police up the wrong track”.

She said that before the murder Williamson, 30, and Cole, 40, worked together to cover up Logan’s previous injuries, including an arm injury and a burn to his neck, from social workers and the police.

Two days before his body was found, Cole punched Logan in the stomach and the 14-year-old swept Logan off his feet using a martial arts move. Cole said: “The only way this boy understands is pain.”

The case focuses attention on the disturbing increase in abuse suffered by children during the Covid pandemic. Contacts to the NSPCC’s helpline from adults across the UK with concerns about the wellbeing of a child increased by 23% in 2020-21 from the previous year, to a record high of almost 85,000.

Speaking away from the court, a family who fostered the 14-year-old boy said they would find knives hidden behind pillows and they claimed they had warned social services he had threatened to kill Logan.

The woman who fostered him said he was fascinated with killing and on the day he left had an “evil” grin on his face. The foster mother’s daughter said the youth repeatedly talked about how much he hated Logan and “wanted him dead”, adding: “He didn’t even call him Logan, he called him ‘the five-year-old’.” She claimed social services were told about the threats but the teenager’s social worker denied in court that she had been told.

The Cwm Taf Morgannwg safeguarding board, which is responsible for children at risk in Bridgend, said the child practice review would look at the contacts agencies had with the family.

Sentencing was adjourned.

The Guardian

Racist who compared Auschwitz to a theme park jailed for second time after changing Oliver Twist lyrics to anti-Semitic song

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April 15, 2022
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Alison Chabloz has previously been locked up for saying ‘Hitler was right’

Alison Chabloz has several convictions for making anti-Semitic comments

A woman has been jailed for changing an Oliver Twist song to include “grossly offensive” lyrics aimed at the Jewish religion. Alison Chabloz, who has previously been jailed for saying ‘Hitler was right’ in her blog posts, had rewritten the words of the well-known song ‘You’ve got to pick a pocket or two’ and posted the video online.

The 58-year-old podcast presenter from St John’s Wood had sung the words “You’ve got to shift a shackle or two”, which was in breach of a previous suspended sentence. Chabloz has a number of previous convictions for sending grossly offensive comments, after making anti-Semitic remarks on a US podcast which she promoted on a far-right social media website called Gab.

She had claimed that the song had been written from the perspective of Tommy Robinson, but this explanation was dismissed by the judge. It was noted that she had a history of displaying “hostility towards a religious group” after she was jailed last April for similar offences.

In 2018, she was handed a suspended sentence which was confirmed on appeal in 2019, after she sang songs calling the Holocaust “a bunch of lies” and referred to Auschwitz as a “theme park”. The former music teacher was convicted of three charges for posting offensive songs about the Holocaust, where she sang: “Was it just a bunch of lies? Seems that some intent to pull the wool over our eyes.”

She had claimed in her podcasts that Jewish parents were “indoctrinating their children that their grandparents were gassed because they were Jews”, which had turned their children into “maniacs”.

She returned for sentencing at Westminster Magistrates Court in April 2021 after she was found guilty of making six grossly offensive comments on the podcasts ‘The Graham Hart Show’ and ‘Realist Radio’. She argued that the Holocaust was used as an “eternal cash cow” and stated that Jews who did not confrom should be deported.

Chabloz, originally from Derbyshire, had also asserted that the gas chambers were not “homicidal” but had been used to save lives from “typhus epidemics”. Speaking in her defence, Adrian Davies said that her comments and past history had rendered her unemployable.

Sentencing her to 22 weeks in prison, District Judge Nina Tempia said: “My view is that you’d spent time and consideration on how to change the words to make it offensive. The offence is aggravated by hostility towards a religious group and I have to take into account your previous convictions for these kinds of offences.”

When asked if Chabloz could remain on bail pending an appeal hearing, the judge responded: “I’ve made my decision. This matter is so serious that only a custodial sentence is warranted.”

My London

Glenrothes man fails to have terrorism sentence cut

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April 8, 2022
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A man who idolised right-wing mass killers and hated Muslims has failed in a bid to have his prison sentence for terrorism offences cut.

Sam Imrie, 24, who admired Christchurch mosque mass murderer Brenton Tarrant, is serving a seven and-a-half year jail term.

He was arrested in July 2019 after posting on social media he was going to attack Fife Islamic Centre, Glenrothes.

Imrie was convicted on two charges of breaching the Terrorism Act.

Following a trial in Edinburgh in October 2021, he was also convicted of wilful fire raising, drink-driving and possessing “extreme” indecent images of children.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Imrie had acquired an arsenal of weapons in his home in Glenrothes, Fife. They included a combat knife, nunchucks, an axe, a black-handled knife, a hammer, a rifle scope and a wooden-handled lock knife.

Police also recovered a “manifesto” entitled the “Great Replacement” by far-right terrorist Tarrant, who murdered 51 people in his March 2019 attacks in New Zealand.

They also recovered a manifesto written by Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in attacks in Norway in 2011.

Nazi ideology

Police also discovered computer equipment containing thousands of images glorifying fa- right terrorism attacks and Nazi ideology.

On Friday, defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson told appeal judges Lord Matthews and Lord Malcolm their colleague Lord Mulholland had not followed correct sentencing procedures when jailing Imrie.

Mr Paterson said if he had done so, Imrie would have received a lesser sentence.

But the appeal judges concluded that Lord Mulholland, who sentenced him in December last year, had acted correctly.

Lord Matthews said: “We are unable to detect any error in his approach. It cannot be said that the sentence imposed by the judge was excessive.”

‘Childhood trauma’

Mr Paterson said his client had experienced “trauma” in his life and that Lord Mulholland should have taken this into account.

He told the Court of Criminal Appeal: “During his childhood, Mr Imrie experienced a fairly traumatic experience when he was assaulted and lost his teeth and stopped attending school.

“Thereafter, he continued to withdraw from life and became more isolated from his family and his friends. He would stay in his bedroom and spend his days looking at his computer and drinking alcohol.

“His background is one which has arisen from childhood trauma.”

BBC News

Hitler-obsessed Newcastle neo-Nazi had child abuse images as well as right wing terrorist material

By
April 8, 2022
Uncategorized

Luke Hunter, of High Callerton, admitted making indecent images of children but claims he has no sexual interest in youngsters

A Hitler-obsessed neo-Nazi had child abuse images alongside right wing terrorist material.

Luke Hunter was jailed previously for terrorism offences after being found with material including Nazi memorabilia, white supremacist texts and recordings of him expressing his deeply disturbing views.

Now it has been revealed police also found sickening indecent images of children during the search. He admitted possessing them although he claims he has no sexual interest in children and was trying to entice, tease or goad those who do.

Newcastle Crown Court heard a warrant was executed at his home at High Callerton, Newcastle, in October 2019, in respect of the terrorism offences. On the Kik platform on his phone, indecent images had been exchanged in a group chat involving 35 people. His computer tower with two hard drives was also found to contain the child abuse images.

In total, his devices contained 22 of the most serious, category A images, 11 category B and 39 category C. Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said: “One girl had material around her neck as she was being sexually abused in distress.”

Hunter pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. He was due to be sentenced but the case was adjourned for an assessment to take place of the future risk he poses to children.

Joe Culley, defending, told the court: “He says he was teasing or goading other people in the group. He says he doesn’t have a sexual interest in children.”

Hunter, who has a form of autism spectrum disorder, is currently serving a prison sentence for the terrorism offences. He has a provisional release date of December next year but has a parole hearing in June.

Hunter, 24, had previously admitted seven charges of encouraging terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications and was sentenced in December 2020 to four years and two months prison, with an extended licence of an extra year, at Leeds Crown Court.

We reported at the time how he was arrested as part of an investigation into Right Wing Terrorism, led by Counter Terrorism Policing North East. Searches of Hunter’s home address revealed an obsession with Hitler and neo-Nazism and resulted in the seizure of a large number of white supremacist texts, military training manuals and guides on surveillance, guerrilla warfare, weapons and explosives.

Officers also recovered Nazi memorabilia and a machete from his bedroom. Hunter’s media devices were found to contain thousands of documents, videos and audio files of an extreme right wing nature, in addition to the manifestos of previous mass murderers and recordings of Hunter himself, expressing his deeply disturbing views.

Officers said he was “persistent and prolific” in his efforts to promote right wing terrorism, utilising a variety of platforms and accounts to spread his hateful ideology and encourage others to do the same. He also created content and established his own website through which to disseminate his vile white supremacist, anti-Semitic and homophobic views.

Through this site he avidly promoted violent right wing propaganda, terrorist handbooks and instructional material. Hunter had a significant online reach, particularly among young people, with his Telegram channel alone having more than 1,200 subscribers.

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