Extreme right-wing terrorist sentenced to 12 years

Gabriel Budasz, a 24-year-old from Weston-Super-Mare, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison with an additional three years on licence after being found guilty of serious terrorism offences following an investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) and supported by Counter Terrorism Policing South West.

His sentence, delivered at Winchester Crown Court on 24 October, also mandates a Part 4 Terrorism Notification Order upon his release.

The investigation revealed Budasz’s extensive online activity, which involved sharing extremist content and spreading hateful, violent ideologies. After being arrested, Budasz was found guilty of four counts of encouraging terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2006, one count of disseminating terrorist material, and one count of sending electronic communications intended to cause distress.

He had also previously pleaded guilty to six additional charges of possessing information that could aid terrorism, which included a video showing how to construct explosive devices.

Police found numerous items of an extreme right-wing nature at Budasz’s home, including Nazi memorabilia, literature, and a 3D-printed firearm. Examination of Budasz’s mobile devices revealed that he shared a video on Telegram containing step-by-step instructions on making an explosive device from everyday household items.

He also sent grossly offensive messages online, which, according to Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, “included racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic statements”. Wright noted that Budasz’s messages would have spread his violent ideology to others, emphasising the damage such content causes in communities.

A spokesperson for CTPSE, Detective Chief Superintendent Wright, elaborated on Budasz’s behaviour, explaining, “A video he sent online contained step-by-step instructions on how to make a viable bomb with readily available household items and had been extracted by Budasz from a longer video found online showing the mutilation and torture of a person.” Wright also highlighted Budasz’s use of a 3D printer to manufacture gun parts, stating, “He had also used a 3D printer to print parts of a 3D gun and had been having conversations about how a viable gun could be manufactured.”

During his trial, Budasz attempted to dismiss his actions as “comedy” and used props, including far-right paraphernalia, to disguise his true motives. However, the court dismissed these defences, instead convicting him of serious terrorism offences.

Wright condemned the destructive impact of Budasz’s content, noting, “The kind of content Budasz made available online stirs up dangerous and extreme right-wing ideologies among those who access it, with all sorts of harm to communities in this country.”