A right wing extremist who hatched a plot to bomb a police station wanted to become "a great man of history".
Luke Skelton has been handed a five-year prison sentence after preparing to carry out an act of terrorism. Teesside Crown Court heard how the 20-year-old had been creating documents, researching explosives and identifying people and locations as potential terrorist targets.
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He travelled 10 miles from his home in Washington to Newcastle in order to carry out "observations" and had taken photos of Forth Banks police station. The court heard how Skelton was "obsessed" with extreme right wing views which included Nazism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, transphobia, homophobia and white supremacy.
During his trial, a jury heard how Skelton had searched online for explosives and watched Nazi propaganda material. He also wrote a document called "final note" referencing his intention to start a "race war" and had written a manifesto.
Jurors heard how staff at Gateshead College, where Skelton was a student, had grown concerned about his behaviour. They referred him to the Government's Prevent programme, which aims to stop people from becoming terrorists, however Skelton "disengaged" from the programme after eight sessions.
Skelton was initially arrested in June 2021 on suspicion of possessing documents likely to be of use to a terrorist. The court heard how he breached his bail by continuing to communicate using prohibited devices under the name "Adolf Hitler".
When he was told no further action would be taken against him, he continued with his activities and claimed there would be "no more debate or discussion" on his methods.
He was charged in November 2021 following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North East.
Skelton, of Kielder, Oxclose, Washington, pleaded not guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. He was found guilty of the offence by a jury at the court in Middlesbrough.
The court heard how Skelton initially went on trial in May 2022 but the jury could not reach a verdict. He went on trial again in May this year and was convicted.
He carried out the offence between October 2020 and October 2021.
Crispin Aylett, defending, told the court: He has no previous convictions. He is now 20. At the time of this offending he was between 17 and 18."
He said Skelton's autism, isolation, possible depression and low IQ may have affected his actions at the time. He said: "People with autism, especially young people, feel marginalised and are more prone to being radicalised".
Mr Aylett said it took place against a background of Covid and described the affects of the pandemic on people aged 17, 18 and 19 as "catastrophic".
He said: "This defendant has been taught a lesson, more than a lesson, he was humiliated during the course of the trial. Your honour will appreciate the great distress his conviction has caused him. He expresses his regret at the trouble had put everybody to."
The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Paul Watson KC, said: "Between October 2020 and October 2021 you were engaging in a course of conduct backed with the extreme right wing views that you then held in order to bring about civil disturbance and unrest by terrorist means.
"It led to you identifying police stations in Newcastle as targets for an your actions and objectives.
"Your other internet activity shows that you were a committed and active right wing extremist who was dedicated to white supremacy and provoking racial hatred.
"Your fantasy was to turn back the pages of the history books to times when such xenophobic and hateful views were tolerated and even admired.
"I am not, of course, sentencing you for the views you held, however repugnant they may be to those who bear the proud traditions of having fought against them in the past."
The judge told Skelton that they were not, as he sought to persuade the jury, empty fantasies designed to promote his own self-image or to foster his own ego. He said: "On the verdict of the jury you intended to put your plans into action. The document known as the ‘final note’ speaks clearly as to your intentions.
He went on to say: "You wanted to make a name for yourself and be a 'great man of history'. As you put it yourself on 29th July 2021, you wanted 'full on war'."
The judge said Skelton had no interest in being deradicalized and by the time he visited the Newcastle police station he was "completely caught up in terrorist ideology and methods".
The judge acknowledged that no low explosive device that he would have been able to assemble would created any real risk of life.
Judge Watson added: "The background to his offence was the loneliness created by the Covid outbreak and difficulties it caused to young people." He took into account his age at the time and gave him a 25% reduction in his prison sentence for "youth and immaturity".
Skelton was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence. He was told that he would serve four years in custody and one year on an extended licence. The judge told him that the 174 days which he had already served on remand or by way of curfew would count towards his sentence.
Following the hearing, Judge Watson praised the police officers in the case. He said a great deal of work went into the investigation and it was conducted with a great deal of sensitivity and compassion.
