A teenage terror suspect has told jurors that plans to blow up a police station were just a ‘fantasy’ and he never made a bomb to carry out the threat.
Luke Skelton shared his right-wing views across multiple social media platforms where he made a number of threats to cause civil disorder in the UK and in France.
The autistic teenager, who spoke very quietly as he was taken through the evidence by his defence barrister, Crispin Aylett KC, told the jury that he never intended to make napalm or blow up a police station in Newcastle.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 19-year-old researched bombmaking techniques and recipes while posting far-right propaganda across a series of social media accounts.
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Mr Aylett asked: “At the time you were saying those things, did you believe what you were saying?”
The Washington teenager replied: “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
He asked: “Did you build a bomb to blow up a police station?”
The teenager replied: “No.”
Judge Peter Watson KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, asked: “What did you mean? Why did you write you had built a bomb to blow up a police station?”
Skelton said: “It was just a fantasy.”
Earlier in the trial, explosives expert Lisa Dunn, who is based at the Ministry of Defence’s site at Porton Down, told jurors that the accused had gathered enough information to create a ‘viable’ explosive.
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Nicholas De La Poer KC, prosecuting, confirmed to the jury that none of the ingredients required to make any of the explosive devices were recovered from Skelton’s home in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
The defendant carried out a ‘hostile reconnaissance' of Forth Bank police station before he was arrested last September and his mobile phone and computer system were seized by counter-terrorism officers.
Skelton, of Oxclose, Washington, denies a charge of preparing to commit acts of terrorism.
The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.
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