A British police officer has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison for membership in a banned neo-Nazi and terrorist group.
The first time an agent has been punished for terrorism in the United Kingdom, the BBC reports.
22-year-old Benjamin Hannam had already been found guilty at the beginning of this month and subsequently fired. He had already left the relevant group, National Action, before joining the London police force in 2018.
The man was also convicted of fraud and possession of documents applicable to terrorists, including a knife-fighting instruction manual and a manual written by Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik. According to the judge, he also possessed “terrible” anti-Semitic material.
Hannam’s lawyer said her client has matured since his involvement with the neo-Nazi group in 2016, citing his choice to become a police officer and join the Mormon faith community. The council asked for a reduced sentence because Hannam has been diagnosed as autistic.
