Nazi sympathiser from Maidenhead jailed
Nicholas Brock had a hoard of right-wing extremist material and had been found guilty of terrorist related charges
Last updated 25th May 2021
A Nazi sympathiser from Maidenhead in Berkshire who kept a collection of extremist material has been jailed for 4 four years.
53-year-old Nicholas Brock decorated his bedroom with SS memorabilia and covered his upper body in tattoos associated with Hitler's Germany.
Following a trial at Kingston Crown Court in March, Nicolas Brock of Lancaster Road, Maidenhead was found guilty of three counts of possession of materials likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The 52-year-old was sentenced today to a total of four years' imprisonment. This was for each count, to run concurrently. He was also ordered to be on licence for one year.
“The material Brock had in his possession is dangerous and concerning."
These convictions come after Brock was arrested on Friday 13 September 2019. During a search of a residential property in Maidenhead, a number of electronic devices were seized.
Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, Head of CTPSE, said: “Brock was found to have collected material useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
“The material and the action of downloading or possessing this material is prohibited and a very serious offence.
"The material Brock had in his possession is dangerous and concerning.
“Some of the items found included a manual on how to make explosives and decommissioned weapons. He also had books which would provide techniques on how to fight, assisting someone who was potentially preparing a terrorist act.”
During a search of Brock’s bedroom, a large collection of collectable weapons, such as military replica knives and two decommissioned guns were recovered.
A number of electronic items were also seized, and upon further analysis of these it was found Brock had hundreds of folders which had information on Nazis and the world wars. He had also downloaded a number of racist images that were anti-Islam, anti-Semitic, and anti-immigration alongside material supportive of a white supremacy ideology, including images of the proscribed organisation National Action and photos of him posing with Nazi symbols.
It was also discovered that Brock had tattoos of various Nazi symbols on his body; a tattooed image of Rudolph Hess who was the deputy leader of the Nazi Party and a tattooed image of a German solider used by many extreme right-wing groups.
Other documents, items and downloads found, clearly demonstrated his extreme right-wing inspired ideology, which could have threatened the public’s safety and security if he wasn’t arrested by detectives.
Detectives believe Brock was likely to have been self-radicalised, browsing online, buying items and downloading these materials to enhance his skewed views.
His bedroom was full of items which were not only concerning, considering the manuals he had been downloading, but also went far beyond those of a legitimate military collector. During his trial these items were proved to be dangerous and illegal.
Det Chief Supt Barnes added: “Although it is likely Brock had extreme toxic views, these seem to have been enhanced over the last couple of years, leading to this investigation, his arrest and ultimately his imprisonment.
“Online grooming can happen to anyone. Vulnerable people can be drawn into a way of thinking by what they view and who they speak to online, and it can be difficult for loved ones to know what signs to spot or what to do.
“It is important that everyone is aware there is help and support available if the behaviour of someone you are close to has changed and you are worried they have become radicalised in their views.
“Getting people the right support early on is the key, before it is too late and they have committed offences.”
“You also had pieces of paper with instructions for the preparation of homemade bombs."
Judge Peter Lodder QC jailed Brock for four years on Tuesday, with another year on licence, telling him: “All three were stored on your external hard drive in a careful and deliberate filing of material in a folder called ‘Army-Military-Manuals’ with other similar manuals. They had come from your laptop computer.
“You also had pieces of paper with instructions for the preparation of homemade bombs.
“It is clear from the wide range of other material found on your computer and your hard drive that you are a right-wing extremist.
“Your enthusiasm for this repulsive and toxic ideology is demonstrated by the graphic, racist, Islamophobic and white supremacist iconography which you have stored and appear to share with others of similar views.”
Edward Butler, defending, said his client had hoarded the material over many years, but added: “There is no evidence of membership of a proscribed or terrorist organisation, intention to carry out or assist or participate in any form of terrorist activity, or any preparation for such activity.”
If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, please trust your instincts and ACT early, especially if the people you love and know have started to have extreme views or are just acting differently to before.
Reporting won’t ruin lives, but it could save them. Action Counters Terrorism.
https://www.gov.uk/report-terrorism