Jail for neo-Nazi terror offender

A neo-Nazi found with bomb-making materials at his flat and who harassed a mixed-race couple has been jailed for more than seven years

Grimsby Crown Court heard Nathan Worrell, 35, had bomb ingredients and far-right propaganda at the property. A jury found him guilty of possession of material for terrorist purposes and of racially aggravated harassment.

Terror police described Worrell, from Grimsby, as a "dangerous individual who harbours extreme anti-Semitic views".

The court was told that police found books and manuals on how make bombs and detonators using items such as weedkiller, lighter fluid and sugar. Two tubs of sodium chlorate weedkiller, three bottles of lighter fluid, and fireworks were also discovered.

The trial heard Worrell left racist stickers on the gate of the home of Susan Crofts and Mohammed Chowdhery and on a nearby lamppost. One sticker read: "Only inferior white women date outside their race. Be proud of your heritage."

Judge John Reddihough sentenced Worrell to six years for the terror offence and 15 months for the harassment, to run consecutively, giving a total of seven years and three months.

After the trial, Det Ch Supt David Buxton, of the Counter Terrorism Unit, said: "Literature found at his flat exposed his interest in creating explosives and even more concerning a number of items were recovered that could have been used to create these devices. We are thankful for his early arrest that has stopped Worrell from taking his interest further."

He added: "It is to my sadness that one family in particular have suffered at the hands of these extreme beliefs and the unforgivable actions of this man. No-one should be made to feel like an outsider in their own community because of their race or religion. I wish to thank them for their bravery during this investigation during what has been an extremely difficult time for them."

BBC

Suspected neo-Nazi accused of nail-bomb plot

A suspected neo-Nazi from East Yorkshire was planning a nail bomb attack and had four home-made devices, a court heard yesterday.

Shaven-headed Martyn Gilleard, 31, of Poole Street, Goole, allegedly intended to wreak carnage and scribbled down his racist intentions in notebooks. During a raid at his home last week police found four bombs and a detonator, the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in London heard.

Gilleard was arrested in Dundee on November 4 after allegedly fleeing the scene and was detained under the Terrorism Act before being charged yesterday.

Colin Gibbs, prosecuting, told the court: "We say he has a terrorist agenda, but to a right-wing part of the spectrum."

Gilleard is alleged to have researched the making of explosives on the internet, bought ingredients and assembled four devices. He is charged with preparing an act of terror, possessing articles for making explosives, collating records likely to be useful to a person preparing a terrorist act, and possessing ammunition in the form of 34 .22 Winchester cartridges.

District Judge Timothy Workman remanded Gilleard in custody and committed the case to the Old Bailey, where he will next appear on November 23.

Yorkshire Post

Majority verdict allowed in BNP candidate bomb trial

The jury in the trial of two Lancashire men with British National Party connections accused of plotting to make bombs has been told that a majority verdict would be accepted.

Ex-BNP local election candidate Robert Cottage, 49, and dentist David Jackson, 62, are said to have stockpiled chemicals they bought on the internet and discussed using them to cause explosions intended to endanger life. Boxes containing 21 different kinds of chemicals - some paid for by Jackson - and ball-bearings that could have been used as shrapnel were found by police at Cottage's home in Talbot Street, Colne.

Officers were alerted to the stash by Cottage's wife, Kerena, 29, who became scared the pair were planning to set off test explosions with the chemicals in countryside near Preston.

Cottage feared immigrants were swamping Britain and bringing it to the brink of civil war, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The jury heard the thrice-failed local election candidate had printed off "recipes" for explosive devices from an online version of the Anarchist's Cookbook. Officers who raided his house also found tins of food, crossbows and airguns. Cottage told the jury he planned to use the chemicals to clean his false teeth, unblock his drains and protect himself against bird flu.

Jackson, who was not a BNP member but attended party meetings with Cottage, told the court he was apolitical and did not share his friend's views on an impending civil war.

Both Cottage and Jackson, of Trent Road, Nelson, Lancashire, deny conspiring to cause explosions intended to endanger life. Cottage pleaded guilty to possessing explosives that could "reasonably" be suspected to be for an unlawful purpose before the trial started. Jackson denies the possession charge.

Pendle Today

Jury out in explosives plot trial

The jury in the trial of a former British National Party election candidate and a dentist accused of plotting to make bombs has retired to consider its verdict.

Ex-BNP member Robert Cottage (49), of Talbot Street, Colne, and David Jackson (62), of Trent Road, Nelson, are said to have stockpiled chemicals they bought on the Internet and discussed using them to cause explosions.

Boxes containing 21 different kinds of chemicals - some paid for by Jackson - were found by police at Cottage's home last September. Officers were alerted to the stash by Cottage's wife, Kerena, who became scared the pair were planning to set off test explosions in countryside near Preston.

Cottage told Manchester Crown Court he feared immigrants were swamping Britain, bringing it to the brink of civil war.

The jury heard the thrice-failed local election candidate had printed off "recipes" for explosive devices from an online version of the Anarchists' Cookbook. Officers who raided his house also found tins of food, crossbows and airguns. His wife said he hoarded them to protect the couple in case civil unrest broke out. Cottage told the jury he planned to use the chemicals to clean his false teeth, unblock his drains and protect himself against bird flu.

Jackson, who was not a BNP member but attended party meetings with Cottage, told the court he was "apolitical" and did not share his friend's views on an impending civil war. He claimed he asked Cottage to buy him chemicals online because he wanted to pursue chemistry as a hobby and was too computer illiterate to order them himself.

Both Cottage and Jackson deny conspiring to cause explosions with intent to endanger life. The current jury heard that Cottage pleaded guilty to possessing explosives for an unlawful purpose at the pair's previous trial in February, which failed to reach a verdict.

Jackson denies the possession charge.

Burnley Express