Nazi sympathiser sentenced for terrorism offences
25/06/2008
Nazi fanatic Martyn Gilleard was sentenced today for terrorism offences after police found weapons, including home-made bombs, and extreme right-wing propaganda and terrorist literature at his home while searching for indecent images of children.
Peter McDonagh, of the Crown Prosecution Service's Counter Terrorism Division, said: "Martyn Gilleard has been found guilty of serious terrorism offences. He was actively planning to commit terrorist acts against people and communities that he hated with a bigot's zeal - black and Asian people, European immigrants, Jews, Muslims and anyone he regarded as a political opponent.
"This is a man who is comfortable with the idea of a race war and was preparing for one - going so far as to manufacture bombs and collect weapons.
"This case demonstrates that the Crown Prosecution Service will actively prosecute anyone who pursues terrorism as a way of achieving their ends, whatever their background or motivation may be."
The court was told that Gilleard's activities were uncovered when police raided his home on suspicion of child pornography offences. They found an armoury of knives, guns, machetes, swords, axes, bullets, and four nail bombs; internet material on how to make poison and bombs; racist literature including photographs showing his admiration for Hitler and the Nazi cause.
Notes to Editors
- Martyn Gilleard was found guilty of:
- one count under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006: Preparing terrorist acts with intent to carry them out, and
- one count under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000: possession of material which would be of practical use to someone preparing an act of terrorism,
- he pleaded guilty at the start of this trial to 10 counts of possession of indecent images of children, and
- pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possessing 34 cartridges of ammunition without holding a firearms certificate.
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