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Michael Piggin terror trial: Jury fails to reach verdict | Michael Piggin terror trial: Jury fails to reach verdict |
(35 minutes later) | |
The jury in the trial of a teenager accused of plotting terrorist attacks in his home town has failed to reach a verdict. | The jury in the trial of a teenager accused of plotting terrorist attacks in his home town has failed to reach a verdict. |
Michael Piggin, from Loughborough, was accused of two counts of terrorism which included plans to attack his former school, a mosque and a cinema. | Michael Piggin, from Loughborough, was accused of two counts of terrorism which included plans to attack his former school, a mosque and a cinema. |
The 18-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to possessing explosives. | The 18-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to possessing explosives. |
The prosecution confirmed there would be no retrial after the jury failed to reach a verdict after 11 days. | |
During the trial at the Old Bailey prosecuting lawyer Max Hill QC said Piggin had plotted a "Columbine-style massacre" in the Leicestershire town. | |
He showed weapons found in his bedroom and videos of the teenager making Neo-Nazi salutes and shouting 'EDL' outside a mosque. | He showed weapons found in his bedroom and videos of the teenager making Neo-Nazi salutes and shouting 'EDL' outside a mosque. |
'For entertainment' | |
Following a raid at his home in Beaumont Road, Shelthorpe, police found several air rifles, component parts of pipe bombs, a crossbow and a swastika flag hung above his bed. | Following a raid at his home in Beaumont Road, Shelthorpe, police found several air rifles, component parts of pipe bombs, a crossbow and a swastika flag hung above his bed. |
Piggin, who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome after his arrest in February last year, said he wrote about attacks to cope with bullying and tested explosives "for entertainment". | |
Videos shown during the case showed him throwing petrol bombs behind a leisure centre and writing racist graffiti on a wall. | |
The teenager denied possessing articles for a purpose connected with terrorism and having a Mujahideen Poisons Handbook, which is banned under terrorism laws. | |
Throughout the trial Piggin denied any real plans for attacks and said it had all "just been in his head". | |
He said he "didn't have a problem with Muslims in general" and described racist comments made on videos as "banter". | |
On Friday the judge dismissed the jury after they said there was "no real prospect of them ever reaching a verdict that they agreed on". | |
This latest trial was a re-trial after a previous jury failed to reach a verdict in November. | |
Piggin will be sentenced for three counts of possessing explosives and one of carrying a knife in the street on 13 June. |