'Dangerous' South Shields internet troll John Nimmo jailed for promoting terrorism after slam gun pictures and other troubling finds

John Nimmo served prison sentences in 2014 and 2017 for sending vile online tirades aimed at Liverpool Wavertree Labour MP Luciana Berger and Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, among other victims.

Now, the 32-year-old "keyboard warrior" is back behind bars for encouraging the murder of Muslims on his Gab social media account.

On there he praised the gunman in the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand and uploaded shocking racist posts.

Nimmo also had a copy of and distributed the "Anarchist's cookbook", a terrorist publication that gives instructions on how to make explosives, detonators, deadly booby traps and molotov cocktails.

While on bail for having terrorist material on his laptop, Nimmo was linked to and pictured holding a home-made firearm - a slam gun - that his neighbour had manufactured.

RELATED: Police tell how firearms conspiracy unravelled after armed officers were scrambled to a South Shields street

Nimmo, of Osborne Avenue, South Shields, South Tyneside, has now admitted possessing and disseminating terrorist material, encouraging terrorism, two charges of distributing material likely to stir up religious hatred and breach of a criminal behaviour order that he was given as a result of his previous offending.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm and has been jailed for ten years and two months with a one year extended licence period.

Judge Robert Adams said: "There has been a failure, in my view, to respond to warnings, he's had two previous custodial sentences and he was subject to a criminal behaviour order at the time."

Judge Adams said Nimmo has a "racist and Islamophobic mindset" and added: "Clearly, he's dangerous".

Prosecutor Matthew Brook told the court officers from Northumbria Police were tasked to regularly inspect Nimmo's computer devices as a result of the Criminal Behaviour Order.

When Nimmo told them he was using an alias online, which was banned by the order, his devices were seized under a warrant, to be examined.

Mr Brook told the court the investigation found Nimmo had posted the illegal material in 2019 on his Gab social media account, where he had 66 followers.

He said the Anarchist's Cookbook was saved twice on Nimmo's computer and the publication contained "information that could be of use to a terrorist", including surveillance techniques and how to make explosives.

Mr Brook added: "There are instructions on where to place explosives for maximum affect, how to make detonators, instructions on how to make molotov cocktails, home-made hand grenades, deadly booby-traps."

Nimmo had called Muslims "scum" on his posts and in reference to a newspaper article about a mass shooting of Muslims, he wrote "a since spring clean is in order".

He also posted a question asking "Do you think Islam should be abolished" and stated "Deport all Muslims" while promoting "immigrant gas chambers".

Nimmo posted the 'N-word' and racist slogans, called Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who killed 51 people and injured dozens of others in mosque attacks, a "legend" before posting a live stream video of the massacre.

On a post containing a BBC article about a shooting outside a mosque, Nimmo wrote "next time, go in and fire".

Prosecutors accept he was "reckless" to whether his posts could have encouraged or assisted someone in an act of terrorism.

Nimmo was linked to the firearms offence after Ciaran Anderson, 23, who is of no fixed address but is from Scotland, confessed to the authorities he had ordered a gun from Dale Elliott, 29, to shoot his ex-partner's newboyfriend when he was drunk but then changed his mind when he sobered up and was still being pestered and threatened for payment for it.

When police searched Elliott's home, next door to Nimmo's at Osborne Road, South Shields, they found the home-made slam gun and deadly ammunition, made up of washers, nuts and shrapnel.

Officers found a video of Elliott discharging a slam gun and Nimmo holding one, as well as their DNA on the weapon they recovered.

Anderson admitted conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm and has been jailed for three years and four months.

Elliott pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition without a firearms certificate, received a custodial sentence of five years and seven months.

Benjamin Newton, defending, said Nimmo has mental health problems and has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Mr Newton said he attended college and has tried to get jobs but added: "To say things have fallen apart is something of an understatement."

"The internet for him is almost like a drug that brings out the worst in him."

Mr Newton added: "There was no real chance anyone was going to act on his words."

Gavin Doig said Anderson expressed remorse and hopes to be transferred to Scotland to complete his sentence, to be close to his family and away from further trouble.

Brian Hegarty said Elliott built the illegal weapon as an "engineering challenge" and was "proud" of his creation.

Mr Hegarty said the home-made gun would have been as dangerous to the user as it would be to anyone it was fired at.

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