A 14-year-old boy from Nottinghamshire has been sentenced to a three-year youth rehabilitation order after admitting possession of a bomb-making video, an offensive weapon and racially aggravated criminal damage, according to Counter Terrorism Policing.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested by Counter Terrorism Police East Midlands in January after concerns were raised that he was carrying a knife. Officers subsequently found a knife in his bedroom, leading to a charge of possessing an offensive weapon. He received a nine-month referral order for that offence.
The counter-terrorism investigation also uncovered a knuckle duster, a photograph of extreme right-wing graffiti sprayed on a fence near his home and a video describing how to make a bomb using household items. The boy was initially charged with a terrorism offence relating to possession of items for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. That charge was later withdrawn.
On 14 July, he pleaded guilty to possession of the knuckle duster as an offensive weapon, racially aggravated criminal damage in relation to the graffiti and an offence under Section 58 of terrorism legislation for possessing the bomb-making video, which police said contained information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. He was sentenced at Nottingham Youth Court on 28 August to a three-year youth rehabilitation order with electronic monitoring. The court also ordered that items seized during the investigation be forfeited.
Detective Inspector Steve Shaw, who was the senior investigating officer in the case, said police had become increasingly concerned by the progression of the teenager’s behaviour.
He said: “Going from owning weapons, to spray-painting graffiti, to downloading a bomb-making tutorial, shows how his behaviour was escalating, which is why we stepped in and charged him when we did.”
Shaw also urged parents to pay attention to what their children are accessing online and to report concerns if they believe a young person may be engaging with extremist or otherwise dangerous material. The case was investigated by Counter Terrorism Police East Midlands, which works across the region alongside local forces on terrorism and national security investigations.
Bit of desperation from the CTP here! All 3 offences for a 14 year old does not equate to a 3 year youth rehab order! While online conditioning is an issue for many youngsters (and adults) the narrative is changing whether we like it or not! The focus of moving away from chasing up organised terrorist groups/individuals by the security services to a more political action against a different homogeneous groups, is concerning.
I must admit, that was my first reaction as well, though we also don’t know the full details of what the ultimate motives of the lad were. Even so, carrying a knife and racially motivated vandalism to me are crimes for the Police, and not uncommon, so in themselves surprising that CTC are involved. Maybe the vid is the clincher.
Apparently thousands of potential terrorist risk individuals on a watchlist but CTP are dealing with a child with a knife and knuckleduster in his bedroom who sprayed some graffiti and downloaded a video?……. This tells you everything about how bad the state of the nation is when this becomes a story. Why the local plod couldn’t deal with a child really exposes how ridiculous things have become to the point of being almost comedic .
No it doesn’t. It tells you what is mentioned in the article. Whether you regard it as newsworthy or not is up to you.I have dealt with this as a police officer and you are not privileged, nor will you be, to the antecedents/associates/family background etc. It is ridiculous to draw your conclusion from what little you know. Police have always been aware of, or tried to keep abreast of at least, extremists from whatever wing or party who pose a threat to life, CNI etc. And such people or groups/factions have always existed.
Correct to a degree, as we are still lucky to have a number of specialist police who can actually police, in their chosen role. However over the last few years the Police colleges have been captured by political knee bending and a lower standards, subsequently recruiting and training large swathes of unsuitable people. Are the average plod to blame however, nope, and are there still decent people doing their best, certainly, but I blame the politicising of higher echelons, chief constables, Deps and lower down in the food chain who need to get up that greasy pole! Part of the issue was the excellent redundancy package in 2015 (if I remember) where the decent people took the pension and the pot of gold, knowing they can easily make another career, while the clowns, the lazy and the incompetent, scared to leave a civil service career stayed on, and are now in positions of authority in each force. Cheers.
It isn’t a civil service career Airborne (Crown servants) and there was no ” pot of gold” in 2015 merely a change from a half decent pension to a much worse one. Is it over politicised. God, yes. Are the management largely incompetent or DEI hires? Nowadays to some extent again yes. This isn’t the forum for problems within the police but to me they are certainly mirrored to some extent within the armed forces.
Agreed, the military are beginning to suffer the same issues but a bit later! Ref 2015 the option of taking the new pension or leave with the old school, and my statement still stands, the decent people took the offer and exit left, as many family members old school served in the plod as do both my daughters (Essex plod in clacton), so my experience, while agreed second hand, is first hand info. You ex police, as you state and fair play, tough job in the old days as thief takers, but nowadays it’s all about politics and bullshit! Thank you for your time in the job, never appreciated but always expected! 👍
Appreciate that. You too mate 👍
You definitely strike me a someone who enjoys/ enjoyed moodle ……..