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 That charge was later withdrawn.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.
