Neo-Nazi obsessed with homophobic bomber could face years behind bars

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A white supremacist who was obsessed with homophobic Soho bomber David Copeland was convicted today of a string of terrorism offences.

Neil Lewington, 43, was convicted of five terrorism charges and two offences under the Explosives Act at the Old Bailey this afternoon.

The trial heard he was obsessed with David Copeland, the homophobic bomber who killed three people in the Admiral Duncan pub in 1999. Eighty people were injured in the attack on the gay bar, in the heart of Soho. Copeland also targeted ethnic minorities in his hate campaign.

Lewington, a National Front member, had turned his bedroom in Reading into an explosives den despite living with his elderly parents.

Police found weedkiller, firelighters, firework powder, electrical timers, detonators and bomb-making plans in his room.

They also found evidence he was planning to start a terror group called Waffen SS UK to drive ethnic minorities out of the country.

Lewington was arrested last October on a train when he abused a train conductor. Police found he was carrying two home-made bombs.

In his defence, David Etherington QC argued he was just a “silly, immature, alcoholic, dysfunctional twit, fantasising to make up for a rather sad life”.

However, Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, said: “This man, who had strong if not fanatical right-wing leanings and opinions, was on the cusp of embarking on a campaign of terrorism against those he considered non-British.”

Lewington was convicted for seven of the eight offences. He was found guilty guilty of having the firebombs, plans to make firebombs, bomb-making equipment, having bomb-making ingredients and the Waffen SS handbook which contained plans to make bombs.

He was cleared of having a booklet called ‘counterbomb’ which contains instructions on how to plant and avoid bombs.

He has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on September 8th. He is likely to face a lengthy prison term.

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