Darlington teen one of youngest ever to be convicted of terror offence
The 14 year old, who can't be named, was arrested in July last year when he was only 13.
Last updated 20th Jan 2022
A 14-year-old boy has become one of the youngest Britons to be convicted of a terror offence after admitting possessing an extremist publication.
The teenager, from Darlington, County Durham, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday where he pled guilty to three counts of possession of a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
He was arrested in July last year, then aged 13, as part of a planned operation by Counter Terrorism Policing North East.
The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, will next appear at Newton Aycliffe Youth Court for sentencing on April 1.
The offences are related to extreme right wing terrorism, police said.
Before this case, the youngest defendant to be convicted of terrorist crimes was a 14-year-old from Blackburn, Lancashire, who can only be identified as RXG, who plotted to murder police officers on Anzac Day in 2015.
He sent encrypted messages instructing an Australian jihadist to launch attacks involving beheading or using a car, and was jailed for life in October 2015 after admitting inciting terrorism overseas.
Last year the Parole Board ruled that RXG could be freed from prison under strict licence conditions.
His identity will remain a secret for the rest of his life after a High Court ruling in 2020.