Terror attacker Callum Parslow gave evidence to his trial amid tight security, claiming his tattoo of Adolf Hitler’s signature was an attempt to annoy communists and his Nazi armband was part of a fancy dress outfit.
The 32-year-old, who was at pains to pass off his interest in the Third Reich as part of a wider “intellectual curiosity”, told jurors he was patriotic and had right-wing views but did not consider himself an extremist.
Originally from Hereford, Parslow began his evidence to Leicester Crown Court by recounting details of a six-week 29-city tour of Britain and Ireland, including visits to cathedrals and historic monuments, that he undertook in the run-up to the attempted murder of asylum seeker Nahom Hagos at a hotel near Worcester on April 2.
Parslow chose to roll up the sleeve of his sweatshirt to show jurors a tattoo on his right arm relating to space agency Nasa, but did not show his left forearm, bearing a tribute to Hitler, to the panel members during questioning from his barrister.
Breaks in his evidence to the jury saw Parslow being handcuffed and chained to one of four dock officers, before being returned from the witness box to the cells.
Answering questions from defence counsel Claire Davies KC at Leicester Crown Court, Parslow said he had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder after his arrest.
Asserting that the hotel stabbing was motivated by his impending eviction from his bedsit, due to take place the following day, and a “form of protest” at small boat crossings, Parslow repeatedly claimed he had no intention to kill.
He told the court: “I could have easily reached round and cut his throat but that’s not what I wanted to do.
“I didn’t want to kill him. I wanted to go to prison.”
Insisting he had intended only to injure his victim’s shoulder after becoming angry that he was due to be evicted, Parslow described a “terrorist manifesto” he had written as an outpouring of frustration.
“The reason I chose to do it to one of the Channel migrants was that I was angry and frustrated,” he said.
“They are spending £5.6 billion a year housing them.”
Parslow added: “I was expecting someone to confront me.
“I was planning on waving my knife around and being taken into custody. I wanted to go to prison.”
Although he had researched small boat landing sites, Parslow said, he decided to attack an asylum seeker in Hindlip as it was local to his home.
He also admitted that he had asked his victim where the toilets in the hotel were because he thought it would “lower his vigilance” and allow time to prepare an attack.
Parslow will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in January after jurors found him guilty on Friday of attempting to murder Mr Hagos at the Pear Tree Inn at Hindlip.
