London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Met Police officer convicted on terrorism charge for membership of banned Neo-Nazi group

Met Police officer convicted on terrorism charge for membership of banned Neo-Nazi group

PC Benjamin Hannam has become the first UK officer to be convicted of a terrorism offence after a court ruled he lied on his Met Police application about his membership of the outlawed Neo-Nazi group National Action (NA).
At the end of his trial at the UK’s Old Bailey court, the 22-year-old was found guilty of membership of an outlawed Neo-Nazi group, lying on his police application, and possessing terrorism documents.

Hannam was investigated by authorities after working for two years as a probationary officer for the Metropolitan Police when his information was discovered on a leaked database from a right-wing internet forum. A search of his home uncovered materials including the ‘manifesto’ of extremist Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a 2011 terrorist attack in Norway.

During his years at school, teachers had reportedly raised concerns about his right-wing views but these were not picked up on during his application to the Metropolitan Police because no school reference was requested.

While Hannam’s involvement with NA ended before he started police training, he had remained a member of it after it was outlawed in 2016, and videos showed him spray-painting the group’s logo on walls just weeks before applying to join the Met. For lying about his prior membership of the group, he was convicted of defrauding the police out of the money they spent training and employing him.

Discussing the case, the head of the Met’s Counter-Terrorism Command, Richard Smith, told British media that while “there will be some concern that somebody who was a member of a group like National Action was able to become a member of Metropolitan Police Service,” authorities “acted very swiftly” after they became aware of his membership.

NA was outlawed in 2016 by the UK government, becoming the first far-right group banned under British terrorism laws. Then-home secretary Amber Rudd used powers granted under the Terrorism Act 2000, which gives the Home Office the power to prohibit any group thought to be “concerned in terrorism.”

The media was initially unable to report the case as it unfolded in March because Hannam had also been facing separate charges of possessing indecent images of an underage individual, but the judge removed the media restrictions after he pleaded guilty to those charges.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
×