A right-wing British teenager has been convicted of preparing to carry out a chilling act of terrorism designed to 'accelerate a race war’.
Luke Skelton, of Washington, Teesside, was found guilty of one offence under Section of the Terrorism Act 2006 after targeting police stations.
Skelton, an autistic former student, wrote that people would die “in the thousands” in his final note.
The 19-year-old faces prison following his two-week trial and is due to be sentenced on June 19, TeessideLive reports.
He carried out hostile reconnaissance at Newcastle police station after writing that he had to ‘fight’ for white people.
His plot is among at least 37 foiled in Britain in the past six years.
Skelton was charged in November 2021 following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North East, supported by Northumbria Police.
The evidence showed that the defendant openly supported and adopted an extreme right wing ideology.
He not only wrote about his plans to commit a terrorist act but went as far as carrying out hostile reconnaissance by researching and visiting potential targets.
Skelton had taken photos of Forth Banks police station in Newcastle, as part of his preparation to carry out an attack there.
The court heard that 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.
The court heard that staff at Gateshead College, where Skelton was a student, had grown concerned about his behaviour and 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.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley is the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East. He said: “The defendant’s anger towards society, together with his extreme right-wing views, created a dangerous foundation from which his sinister plans were ultimately built.
"He was strongly motivated by this mindset, which continued to fuel his actions and his later offending, despite repeated attempts to draw him away from it.
“The evidence clearly demonstrated that he was not just a person who held strong views but a terrorist who wanted to cause serious harm.
“It is more important than ever that everyone plays their part in tackling terrorism. We have seen from this case that terrorists research and sometimes visit the places they plan to attack.
“Communities defeat terrorism, and information from the public is vital to counter terrorism investigations. I would urge everyone to stay vigilant.
"If you see or hear something unusual or suspicious and think someone may be engaging in terrorist activity, trust your instincts and act by reporting it in confidence at gov.uk/ACT. Always dial 999 or in an emergency.
“Your information might just help prevent an attack and save lives.”
