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Man found guilty of planning terror attack on Cumbria gay event Man found guilty of planning terror attack on Cumbria gay event
(about 4 hours later)
White supremacist Ethan Stables is convicted of preparing act of terror and making threats to killWhite supremacist Ethan Stables is convicted of preparing act of terror and making threats to kill
Frances Perraudin and agencies Frances Perraudin
Mon 5 Feb 2018 11.55 GMTMon 5 Feb 2018 11.55 GMT
Last modified on Mon 5 Feb 2018 13.00 GMT Last modified on Mon 5 Feb 2018 16.34 GMT
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A 20-year-old man has been convicted of preparing an act of terrorism after he planned to carry out a machete attack on a gay pride event in Cumbria. A 20-year-old man who planned to carry out a machete attack on a gay pride event in Cumbria has been convicted of preparing an act of terrorism.
Ethan Stables showed no reaction as the verdicts were returned at Leeds crown court on Monday morning and he was remanded in custody before sentencing later in the day. Ethan Stables showed no reaction as the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts at Leeds crown court on Monday morning and he was remanded in custody before sentencing on Wednesday.
Stables, who has an autistic spectrum disorder, was convicted of preparing an act of terrorism, making threats to kill and possessing explosives. He had told the court he was ashamed of racist and homophobic comments he made online and claimed he was himself bisexual.Stables, who has an autistic spectrum disorder, was convicted of preparing an act of terrorism, making threats to kill and possessing explosives. He had told the court he was ashamed of racist and homophobic comments he made online and claimed he was himself bisexual.
Armed police swooped on Stables on 23 June as he walked towards the New Empire pub in Barrow, Cumbria, which was hosting a gay pride event. He was unarmed when he was arrested, but police later found an axe and a machete at his home.Armed police swooped on Stables on 23 June as he walked towards the New Empire pub in Barrow, Cumbria, which was hosting a gay pride event. He was unarmed when he was arrested, but police later found an axe and a machete at his home.
Officers had received a tip-off from a member of a far-right Facebook group where Stables posted a message saying he was “going to war” and that he planned to “slaughter every single one of the gay bastards”.Officers had received a tip-off from a member of a far-right Facebook group where Stables posted a message saying he was “going to war” and that he planned to “slaughter every single one of the gay bastards”.
He denied he was doing a “recce” of the pub he planned to attack when he was arrested and said he was walking to sit outside the jobcentre to use its free public wifi.
After he was arrested, police found Stables had made internet searches for “how to make chemical poison”, “what is prison like for a murderer”, “I want to go on a killing spree” and “do you get haircuts in prison”.After he was arrested, police found Stables had made internet searches for “how to make chemical poison”, “what is prison like for a murderer”, “I want to go on a killing spree” and “do you get haircuts in prison”.
The jury was shown a video of him burning a rainbow flag and posing next to a swastika hanging on his bedroom wall. He swapped messages with fellow extremists, blaming the fact that he was jobless on “faggots, niggers, spastics” and the Equalities Act. The jury was shown a video of him burning a rainbow flag while saying: “Look at it, that rainbow, so much nicer when it’s on fire. It’s just like gay people. Much nicer when they’re on fire.”
Stables can also be heard talking about joining the DUP to “execute gay people” and the English Defence League, while another man can be heard discussing what food he is going to order in the background.
The jury was also shown police bodycam footage collected during a search of Stables’ bedroom. A large Nazi flag can be seen hanging on the wall and the officer points out a series of knives, an assault rifle and a machete. A government explosives expert told the court that material found in the flat could have been used to make a credible bomb.
The court heard that Stables had swapped messages with fellow extremists, blaming the fact that he was jobless on “faggots, niggers, spastics” and the Equalities Act.
He expressed a hatred of Muslims and Jews, and claimed in a WhatsApp message a month before his arrest: “My country is being raped … I might just become a skinhead and kill people.”He expressed a hatred of Muslims and Jews, and claimed in a WhatsApp message a month before his arrest: “My country is being raped … I might just become a skinhead and kill people.”
During the trial, his own barrister described him as “lonely and inadequate”. Stables claimed he had been brainwashed by rightwing extremists he met when he lived in hostels and that he had only made racist and homophobic comments to fit in. In a conversation on Facebook to which police were alerted, Stables said: “There’s a pride night. I’m going to walk in with a machete and slaughter every single one of them.” He added: “I don’t care if I die. I’m fighting for what I believe in and that is the future of my country, my folk and my race.”
He told his trial that he was bisexual and had had sexual experiences with men. Giving evidence, his godfather, Phillip Loveless, who is gay, said he did not believe Stables was homophobic, saying: “I have a sixth sense for that sort of thing.” During the trial, his own barrister described him as “lonely and inadequate”, arguing that he was a “white fantasist” and not a white supremacist.
Stables claimed he had made racist and homophobic comments only to fit in with the people to whom he was speaking online. He told his trial that he was politically liberal and a bisexual, having had sexual experiences with men.
Giving evidence, Stables’ mother Elaine Asbury said her son had been radicalised when he went to visit his girlfriend in Germany. She said she had received little support from mental health services in looking after her son and had thrown him out of her home when he was 17 because threatened to decapitate her and burn the house down.
His godfather, Phillip Loveless, who is gay, told the jury he did not believe Stables was homophobic, saying: “I have a sixth sense for that sort of thing.”
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