Stephen Moses KC, leading Lucy Tapper, secures unanimous not guilty verdict after a four-week trial in Birmingham Crown Court on an allegation of preparing an act of terrorism for which the defendant faced a potential life sentence. 

Stephen Moses KC, leading Lucy Tapper, secures unanimous not guilty verdict after a four-week trial in Birmingham Crown Court on an allegation of preparing an act of terrorism for which the defendant faced a potential life sentence.

Aged 23 at the time and of good character, the defendant had a long-held interest in extreme right-wing propaganda and Neo-Naziism.  He had saved footage of the Christchurch terrorist massacre in New Zealand on an encrypted USB disk, as well as a copy of the assailant’s manifesto.  Later, during lock-down (and while suffering from depression), he embarked on building his own sub-machine gun and ammunition, following instructions downloaded from the internet.  He nonetheless remained adamant that this was for his own interest and not in preparation of an act of terrorism.  Carefully balanced, tactical decisions to narrow the issues, along with detailed exploration of the defendant’s personal characteristics and background enabled the jury to see that he did not represent a genuine threat and to duly acquit him of the charge. BBC story here