Neo-Nazi Ethan Stables found guilty of plotting terror attack at gay pride event

A white supremacist has been convicted of a terror offence after he plotted to carry out a machete attack on a gay pride event at a pub.

Armed police swooped on 20-year-old neo-Nazi Ethan Stables as he walked towards the New Empire in Barrow, Cumbria.

Officers had received a tip-off from a member of a far right Facebook group where he posted a message saying he was "going to war" and that he planned to "slaughter every single one of the gay bastards".

He was unarmed when he was arrested on June 23 but police found an axe and a machete at his home, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The jury was shown a video of him burning a rainbow flag and posing next to a swastika hanging on his bedroom wall.

During his trial Stables, who has an autism spectrum condition, claimed he was just a fantasist and was himself bisexual.

He was convicted of preparing an act of terrorism, making threats to kill and possessing explosive.

Stables, of Egerton Court, Barrow, showed no emotion from the dock as the forewoman of the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on each of the three counts.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, further remanded him in custody ahead of sentencing at 2pm on Monday.

Opening the case, Jonathan Sandiford, prosecuting, said Stables had previously espoused homophobic, racist and Nazi views online, and the defendant was pictured with a Swastika flag hanging on his bedroom wall.

Stables said in his defence that did not intend to carry out the attack and he was simply venting his anger online.

He claimed he was a liberal and explained he adopted a right-wing persona to fit in with people he chatted to online.

He denied he was doing a "recce" of the venue when he was arrested and said he was heading out to sit outside the jobcentre to use the free public WiFi.

Patrick Upward QC, defending, told the jury that Stables was not a white supremacist but a "white fantasist".