UK’S youngest convicted terrorist avoids custody

Britain’s youngest convicted terrorist, who led a neo-nazi cell from his grandmother’s house, has avoided custody.

The boy was aged just 13 when he got his hands on instructions for explosives.

At 14, the youth, from south-east Cornwall, amassed a stash of terror material and shared farright extremist ideology in online chatrooms.

He pled guilty to 12 offences – two of dissemination of terrorist documents and 10 of possession of terrorist material.

The defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was handed a 24-month youth rehabilitation order by Judge Mark Dennis QC at the Old Bailey yesterday.

The judge told the boy he had “entered an online world of wicked prejudice” and any reoffending would lead to a “spiral of everlengthening terms of incarceration” to protect the public.

The judge added: “The wider picture revealed in this case – the actions, words and mindset of teenagers – is deeply concerning.”

The boy’s offences were committed over a prolonged period and involved the use of technology to conceal identity, the court heard.

However, the judge took account of his guilty plea, expression of remorse and that the teenager was“susceptible to the influence of others”.

Judge Dennis ruled out custody, saying it would undo the work that already under way rehabilitate the youth.

The defendant was described as “vulnerable” with an “abnormal childhood”.

At the time of the offences, he was living a “restricted and isolated” existence with his grandmother in Cornwall.

He was sentenced by video-link from Bodmin Magistrates’ Court and was supported by his grandmother, who held his hand.

The court had heard that, between October 2018 and July 2019, the boy had collected a significant amount of far-right material.

It included bomb-making instructions, ingredients for napalm, how to make Molotov cocktails, build an is to

AK47 assault rifle, and engage in knife combat.

At the same time, he was active on online platforms – expressing racist, homophobic and antisemitic views.

In the summer of 2019, he became the British cell leader of the FKD – Feuerkrieg Division – a neo-nazi group that idolises the likes of mass murderer Anders Breivik.

The banned network favoured actions over words and encouraged individuals to commit “lone wolf ” attacks.

The defendant liaised with FKD’S 13-year-old “commander” in Estonia and was responsible for vetting and recruiting members and propaganda, it was claimed.

One of his five recruits was teenager Paul

Dunleavy, who was convicted of terrorism offences relating to his activities as a member of FKD in 2019 and with whom he discussed the acquisition of firearms, the court was told.

The court heard that another of the recruits was in fact an undercover officer.

Police raided the defendant’s home on July 23 2019 as a result of information which suggested he had been trying to build a weapon.

No weapons were found, but his mobile phone and computer were seized.

In a police interview, the defendant, now 16, denied having had any racist, homophobic or antisemitic views, and said his comments and posts were just “to look cool”.