“Patriot” who was “bit of a loner” sentenced to 4 years for stockpiling weapons at home

The Nottingham Post and Daily Mail report on the sentencing of a man who stockpiled weapons at his home to “defend ‘us’ against the Muslims”.

Roger Smith, 46, believed himself to be “a crusader against Muslims” and claimed to be preparing to “defend the UK from an attack by Isis”. He was arrested in October 2015 after a search of his home turned up an “arsenal of crossbows and knives”, “bomb-making chemicals” and a copy of the Anarchists Cookbook.

Smith was convicted of two charges of having an explosive substance and two charges of having a document or record which “has information likely to be useful by a person preparing acts of terrorism”, in connection with the copy of the Anarchists Cookbook.

The court heard Smith made a number of derogatory statements about Muslims when arrested by officers. He complained about being treated as “a terrorist” by the police saying it was “like I am a Muslim.”

He also suggested officers “should be thanking him since they would be fighting side by side when the Muslims came to attack.”

The court heard Smith was intending to fly flags of Israel and the Knights Templar outside of his address along with a St George’s Cross, “as they were part of his heritage and he was a patriot”.

PSCO Matthew Holden, who had several dealings with Smith over a dispute with a neighbour, said Smith had “openly” mentioned his possession of “a compound bow and a set of three knives”.

Holden further told the court, “He said words to the effect that Islam was an evil religion and Islam was at war with the West.”

Mr Holden said Mr Smith also uttered “words to the effect that Barack Obama was probably a Muslim and referred to him as an ape”. 

Mitigating for Mr Smith, Orlando Pownall QC told the court that there was no suggestion Smith was part of a radical group, describing him as a “bit of a loner”.

Despite the prosecution’s presentation of witnesses who explained Smith’s many anti-Muslim proclamations, his defence team claimed “The defendant is a mild-mannered individual” who had “no appreciation of the seriousness of what he was doing”.

Orlando Pownall QC said: “There is no evidence this defendant was part of a radical group or had friends who were equally radical or that he wished to be a member of such a group.”

Judge Gregory Dickinson, sentencing Smith to four years in jail, told him: “You said you had these things in your house to defend against the Muslims and you were ready.

“You were in your own somewhat warped view of the world preparing for a siege and for the possibility of a local war with Islamic terrorists.”