By Eric King-
An alleged member of a banned British far-right group has made the astonishing admission of planning to murder Labour MP Rosie Cooper.
Oddball Jack Renshaw pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to preparing an act of terrorism by buying a machete with the intention of killing the West Lancashire MP.
The 23 year old, from Skelmersdale in Lancashire, also admitted making a threat to kill a female police officer. Five other men are also on trial for being members of a proscribed organisation-National Action.
Christopher Lythgoe, 32, from Warrington, also denies encouragement to murder by allegedly giving Mr Renshaw permission to murder Ms Cooper on behalf of the group. The other men on trial are: 24 year old Matthew Hankinson,, from Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside; 33 year old Andrew Clarke, from Prescot, Merseyside; 35 year old Michal Trubini, from Warrington, and 24 year old Garron Helm, from Seaforth, Merseyside. The admission comes as a shock after the evil terrorist had previously not guilty to the two offences.
Mr Renshaw’s sudden change of plea came on the first day of his trial, as he took the first step to securing a conviction and a jails sentence for his malicious premeditated plan to kill. Renshaw, alongside Lythgoe, along with Garron Helm, 24, of Seaforth, Merseyside, Matthew Hankinson, 24, of Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, Andrew Clarke, 33, and Michal Trubini, 35, both of Warrington, also deny membership of the banned far right group. The case is another reminder of the real threat posed by terrorism today.
The National Action group was banned by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd in 2016 after the group expressed support for the murder of Joe Cox. The ban effectively made it a criminal offence to be a member of, or to invite support for the organisation is a criminal offence and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC, opening the trial, said: “This case concerns these defendants and their support for, involvement in and membership of the proscribed racist neo-Nazi group National Action.” planned to carry out a “politically and racially motivated murder” in support of National Action, he told the court.
Jurors were told they were done “with the blessing” of his leader, Lythgoe.
The court was told the group had embarked on a “campaign of virulent anti-Semitic and homophobic propaganda” since 2013″. Atkinson told the court that Renshaw had tried to ban the group . A fitting sentence will be expected by the court to send the message that terrorism will not be tolerated on Uk shores, and that severe punishment will be given anytime terrorists are caught planning to wreak harvoc against individuals or members of a group.