Counter Terrorism Policing North East has warned against online harms after a teenager was convicted of terrorism offences.

The teen was 14 when he was arrested in November 2023, after an intelligence-led investigation into his online activity found an extremist mindset and a growing obsession with the manufacture of explosives.

The boy shared racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic views in online forums, where he also expressed a desire to join ISIL and make bombs. The boy is white British.

After his arrest, police found that he had stored and shared terrorist material, including recipes for viable, home-made explosives and footage of a mass shooting in the US.

He was charged in September 2024 with three offences of possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and one offence of disseminating terrorist publications. He pleaded guilty in May this year, on the basis of recklessness.

He has now been sentenced to a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order and a 12-month Youth Rehabilitation Order. a forfeiture order for three digital devices and a quantity of cannabis was imposed, and he was ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

Head of Prevent and Interventions at Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Superintendent Matthew Davison said: “The number of young people in our case load continues to increase, fuelled by the volume of hate-filled propaganda that is readily available online.

“It is concerning to see someone’s views and behaviour escalate in this way. He was developing a library of terrorist publications, which he regularly shared with others. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of some very disturbing material and enough information to make his own explosives.

“It is important that young people understand the consequences of their online activity. Seeking and sharing harmful content has serious implications for their future, and in the wrong hands, it could also pose a threat to the safety of others."