A MENAI Bridge man has been jailed for ten years after being found guilty on eight counts of terror offences at Sheffield Crown Court today (June 23).
29-year-old Samuel Whibley, of Derwen Deg, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey, was jailed along with three others found guilty of a combined total of eighteen offences on March 29 following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court after their offending was exposed by an undercover police officer.
Daniel Wright, Liam Hall and Stacey Salmon were sentenced to 12, six, and three years respectively at today’s sentencing hearing at Sheffield Crown Court.
During the initial eleven-week trial, the jury heard how the defendants came together in a private online chat group to share extreme right-wing views and propaganda, influence and indoctrinate others and endorse the use of violence to further their cause.
Using a Telegram channel called Oaken Hearth, members exchanged terror manuals, shared racist ideology, and posted videos of atrocities including the Christchurch mosque mass murder.
They were found to have manufactured and been in possession of weapons, with the terror cell found to have used a 3D printer to make gun parts.
Examination by a specialist confirmed that despite being incomplete, the weapon could have proved lethal if fully assembled.
Other weapons were also recovered from the homes of the defendants, in addition to chemicals, practical guides for making explosives and extreme right-wing texts and videos.
Mr Whibley was found guilty of eight terrorism offences including the encouragement of terrorism, contrary to Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and the dissemination of a terrorist publication encouraging terrorism, contrary to Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Along with a 10-year custodial sentence, Mr Whibley will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order and a 30-year Part 4 Notification Order upon release.
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Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Craig is the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East. He said: “Today’s outcome highlights the seriousness of the offences committed by these individuals and the verdict reached by the Jury in March.
“We work tirelessly to identify individuals who have an extremist mindset and threaten the safety and unity of our diverse communities.
“Anyone found to be engaging in terrorist activity, or violent extremism in any form, can expect to be identified and put before the courts.”
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