Neo-nazi trial told of threat to kill MP and policewoman by machete

A NEO-NAZI plotted to murder an MP and police officer for “White Jihad”, a court has heard.

Alleged National Action spokesman Jack Renshaw, 23, has admitted buying a 19in-long machete to kill Labour’s Rosie Cooper last summer.

Afterwards, he threatened to take hostages to lure a police officer to the scene so he could kill her too, jurors heard.

He allegedly told fellow National Action members he would pretend he was wearing an explosive vest to “commit suicide by cop”. Renshaw was given the blessing of National Action leader Christopher Lythgoe at a meeting in a Warrington pub, the Old Bailey heard.

He suggested Renshaw target the Home Secretary instead of “nobody” Ms Cooper, but the idea was rejected as the Minister would be too well protected.

Approving the killings, Lythgoe allegedly told him: “Don’t f*** it up.”

The scheme was foiled by disenchanted former National Action member Robbie Mullen who reported the threat to Hope Not Hate, the charity set up to combat far-right extremism, jurors were told. On the opening day of his trial, Renshaw pled guilty to preparing acts of terrorism as well as making a threat to kill Detective Constable Victoria Henderson.

But he denies being a member of National Action, with Lythgoe and four other men.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC claimed they were all part of the North West area branch of National Action which met at the Friar Penketh pub in Warrington.

In the wake of its support for the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, the organisation became the first extreme right-wing group to be proscribed since the Second World War.

But Lythgoe allegedly resolved to keep National Action going after December 2016, saying in an e-mail: “We are just shedding one skin for another.”

The court heard he set up a new gym and headquarters in Warrington for combat training in preparation for the “race war”.

Meanwhile, Renshaw’s violent plan was hatched following his arrest in January last year on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred.

He was interviewed by Det Con Henderson about two antisemitic speeches in Blackpool and at the Yorkshire Forum for Nationalists in which he claimed “Hitler was right”.

An analysis of his phone later revealed what police considered evidence of child sex offences and he was interviewed again by Det Con Henderson, jurors heard.

On July 1 last year, Renshaw unveiled the plot to National Action members at a meeting in the Friar Penketh, the court heard.

He allegedly revealed he had already bought a machete marketed as offering “19 inches of unprecedented piercing and slashing power at a bargain price”.

Renshaw allegedly said he would make a video for release after the attack, saying it was on behalf of National Action.

The trial resumes today.