White supremacist Ethan Stables has been convicted of a terror offence for planning to carry out a machete attack on an LGBT event in Cumbria.
The 20-year-old denied planning the attack at the New Empire pub in June 2017 but was convicted at Leeds Crown Court on Monday of preparing an act of terrorism, making threats to kill and possessing explosive.
Stables was remanded in custody before sentencing on Monday afternoon.
Armed police arrested Stables as he walked towards the pub after a member of a Facebook group became so concerned about his postings she contacted police.
The court was earlier told Stables was a white supremacist and a Nazi who was trying to obtain guns and the means to make an improvised explosive device.
As the Pride event approached he became “enraged” and by June 23 had managed to accumulate an axe, machete and knives, but no firearms.
On that day, the jury was told, Stables posted a series of messages in a Facebook chat group which included: “I’m going to war tonight,” and “I’m going to walk in with a f****** machete and slaughter every single one of the gay bastards”.
The court was shown body-cam footage taken by an officer searching Stables’ flat a few hours after his arrest.
This showed a large Nazi flag on the wall, an axe and knife on a table, another table piled with matches with their heads removed and a large machete under a table.
Stables’ barrister, Patrick Upward QC, told the jury his client was a fantasist who never expected anyone to believe what he posted online.
Stables was due to be sentenced today, but it was later re-scheduled. A date is yet to be confirmed.