Ben Hannam: British police officer jailed for four years for belonging to neo-Nazi terror group iwradio.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from iwradio.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Last modified on Fri 30 Apr 2021 09.45 EDT
A man who became the first serving British police officer to be convicted of a terrorism offence has been jailed for four years and four months.
Benjamin Hannam, who was found guilty this month of membership of the banned neo-Nazi group National Action, worked as a Metropolitan police probationary officer for nearly two years before his details were found on a leaked database from an extreme rightwing forum.
The 22-year-old, who pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited image of a child, was also convicted of lying on his application and vetting forms to join the force and having two terror documents detailing knife combat and making explosive devices.
By Press Association 2021
Ben Hamman
The first British police officer to be convicted of belonging to a neo-Nazi terrorist group is facing jail when he is sentenced on Friday.
Ben Hannam, 22, was found guilty of membership of banned right-wing extremist group National Action (NA) following a trial at the Old Bailey.
He was also convicted of lying on his application and vetting forms to join the Metropolitan Police and having two terror documents detailing knife combat and making explosive devices.
Hannam, who had been suspended from the force, has since been sacked for gross misconduct.
The disgraced ex-officer, who is on bail, will return to court on Friday to be sentenced by Judge Anthony Leonard QC.
Here is PC Benjamin Hannam s progress from schoolboy, to neo-Nazi, to Metropolitan Police officer:
2011-2017: The neo-Nazi online forum Iron March is active.
August 2013: National Action (NA) emerges from Iron March with stickers and flash demonstrations. Its neo-Nazi ideology includes a belief in Aryan purity and hatred of non-white groups, particularly Jews; it venerates Hitler as divine and celebrates war and genocide.
2014: Hannam says he first became interested in fascism around the age of 16. He also began a three-and-a-half year secret relationship with his Muslim girlfriend.
May 24, 2014: In a Skype conversation, Hannam says: I m not racist, I just don t like people who s skin is darker than mine .
U K Police Officer Jailed For Belonging To Banned Extremist Right-Wing Terror Group forbes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from forbes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.