THE trial of a teenage terror suspect has been abandoned after the jury was discharged after it failed to reach a verdict.

Luke Skelton was accused of plotting to blow-up a police station in an attempt to start a race war after sharing his far-right extremist views online.

The autistic 18-year-old was alleged to have carried out “hostile reconnaissance” of Forth Banks police station in Newcastle before he was arrested and charged with preparing to commit acts of terrorism.

The Northern Echo: Forth Banks Police Station in Newcastle. Picture: GOOGLEForth Banks Police Station in Newcastle. Picture: GOOGLE

Today, Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, halted the trial when the jury confirmed they were unable to reach a verdict after seven-hours of deliberation.

Jurors had heard how he took to online social media networks to share his race hate and downloaded videos of other terrorist attacks including one of Anders Breivik, a far-right terrorist who murdered 77 people in Norway in 2011.

The teenager also expressed his support for the actions of Adolf Hitler and Enoch Powell during a year-long period of online activity.

During his evidence, Skelton said the posts were designed to 'shock' as he wanted to massage his ego but he never intended to carry out any terrorist attack.

Skelton, of Oxclose, Washington, was remanded in custody until a hearing next week when the prosecution will decide whether to go ahead with a retrial.

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