Whistleblower gives evidence on National Action activities

Whistleblower Robbie Mullen lifted the lid on neo-Nazi group National Action's activities as he gave evidence against his former comrades in court.

He described the six defendants' involvement in the group's hierarchy, from physical training for the "race war" to ideology and legal affairs.

He told jurors that after National Action was proscribed in December 2016, everything "stayed the same".

Their meetings continued with the "same place, same people, same purpose", the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Mullen said:

Jack Renshaw, 23, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, was the speech maker and spokesman, he said.

Mr Mullen, 25, told jurors he first met him in November 2015 at a demonstration in Liverpool.

He said Renshaw, who has admitted plotting to murder an MP, had a particular hatred of Jewish people and described them as "vermin".

Mullen saw Renshaw once a month, less so after the ban, while also communicating via Facebook and Telegram, jurors heard.

Christopher Lythgoe, 32, from Warrington, was the leader of National Action in charge of propaganda and Mixed Martial Arts training, he said.

He promoted self defence for "whatever happens, if there was ever the race war", Mr Mullen said.

He said:

Mr Mullen said he also went to an MMA gym to practice stick fighting.

He would see Lythgoe every week and communicate on encrypted email, jurors heard.

Mr Mullen said Lythgoe "decided everything", even instructing members to dress all in black at demonstrations.

Following the ban, Mullen said Lythgoe had taken the organisation "underground" and remained in charge.

Matthew Hankinson 24, of Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside was in charge of "security" and was for some time Lythgoe's "number two", jurors heard.

Mr Mullen said he saw Hankinson at the Friar Penketh pub in Warrington where the group used to meet, the court heard.

Andrew Clarke, 33, from Warrington, was said to be the group's legal adviser with a role in ideology.

He allegedly attended a Liverpool demonstration with Mr Mullen and meetings at the Piccadilly Tavern in Manchester, jurors heard.

Michal Trubini, 35, also from Warrington, would regularly go to meetings at the Friar Penketh and the nearby gym, the witness said.

Garron Helm 24, of Seaforth, Merseyside, was said to have planned training camps, communicating via Telegram and group emails.

Mr Mullen said he saw a video from a camp at the Lake District which featured Helm practise fighting with a rubber knife, as well as wrestling and someone trying to do a "pull up".

He recalled seeing details about four training camps.

The witness told jurors he had also met the founders of National Action - university students Alex Davies and Benjamin Raymond - and at one point had been appointed North West regional organiser by Lythgoe.

After the ban, Mullen said he attended a National Action Scotland demonstration in April last year.

Gym training and pub get-togethers continued, jurors heard.

The defendants deny membership of a proscribed organisation.

Lythgoe also denies giving Renshaw permission to kill Rosie Cooper MP in the name of National Action last July.