No re-trial for Northumberland teenager accused of planning a terror attack
A teenager will not face a retrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict on whether he was planning a terror attack.
A Northumberland teenager will not face a retrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict on whether he was planning a terror attack.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified due to his age, was found guilty at Leeds Crown Court on February 5 of being a member of a proscribed neo-Nazi organisation, as well as possessing and publishing terror documents.
But the jury failed to reach a verdict on a more serious charge of preparing acts of terrorism.
Today, Michelle Keeley KC confirmed to the judge, Mr Justice Wall, that the prosecution will not be seeking a retrial on this charge.
The judge said the teenager will now be sentenced in Leeds on March 27.
The boy's trial heard how police found an "arsenal" of weapons, including a crossbow and knives, at his home in Northumberland in February 2025.
The jury was shown images of his bedroom, including a replica of an SS officer's cap, a flag of Rhodesia and a skeleton in a mask.
Jurors were also read online exchanges with members of white supremacist groups and violent journal entries.
The court was told that the youth watched a video of the New Zealand mosque terror attack then looked up synagogues in the Newcastle area.
Frida Hussain KC, defending, told the trial that the boy was "desperately lonely", had been "plagued" with thoughts of killing himself, and created an online persona as a distraction.
During the trial, Miss Hussain asked him: "Writing in these terms about harming other people, was this anything you wanted to do in reality?"
The defendant replied: "Just thoughts in my head. I never intended to harm anyone."