A Nazi thug who built a homemade submachine gun in his garage and kept terrorism manuals after becoming obsessed with the Christchurch mosque killer is facing jail. Ben Styles, 25, was making the deadly weapon at his home in the leafy Warwickshire town of Leamington Spa.
He posted in an online group called ‘#Kill All the Jews’ and described the holocaust to friends as the ‘holohoax’, adding: “I hope the holocaust is real next time.” Styles was arrested in April 2021 after police raided his home in Plymouth Place, Leamington Spa, and discovered gun making tools in the garage.
He admitted making weapons and ammunition and collecting terrorism material at Birmingham Crown Court. He was acquitted of engaging in conduct in preparation for a terrorist act, contrary to section 5(1) of the Terrorism Act 2006.
During his trial, jurors heard Styles acquired various tools including a lathe and a drill press and was making a gun. Police seized the lower part and top part of a homemade submachine gun, as well as shop-bought blanks alongside manuals which showed how to convert blank bullets into live ammunition.
Officers also uncovered a Nazi fitness manual and a book titled: “The SS family yearly - celebrations of the SS family.” Styles, who has a B-tec in Engineering, told his friend he was “just getting as strong as possible for the war” and sent a picture of his phone lock screen which had images of swastikas on it, the court heard.
The court heard Styles had travelled to New Zealand shortly before the mosque attack in Christchurch in 2019. Messages recovered from Styles when he returned to the UK said: “I just got back from New Zealand - it made me super racist. Then that happened and I had a good day.”
His trial heard Styles was fascinated by killer Brenton Tarrant and collected his manifesto and a video he made of the massacre which left 51 people dead and 40 injured. At an earlier hearing, Styles admitted three counts of collecting information contrary to section 58 Terrorism Act 2006 (right wing material and instructional firearms documents) and one count of possessing a prohibited weapon contrary to section 5(1a) Firearms Act 1968.
Detective Superintendent Anastasia Miller, from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, said: “Styles’ was making a submachine gun and ammunition, he also knowingly downloaded and possessed extremely distressing and disturbing imagery.”
Assistant Chief Constable David Gardner, counter terrorism lead for Warwickshire Police, said: “The evidence in this case was extremely concerning and clearly demonstrated Styles has an obsession with far right wing ideologies.
“It is vital we all remain vigilant and people report any concerns they have to police.” Styles was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on June 23.
