Bury teenager admits terrorism offences over extremist content

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 13:44 · Archive

An 18-year-old from Bury has pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism offences including posting a video of a mosque shooting and extremist manifestos online.

Damien Woolfenden, 18, from Bury, appeared at the Old Bailey in London and pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism offences. He admitted disseminating terrorist publications including a live-streamed video of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting by Brenton Tarrant and the manifesto of Anders Breivik, a mass murderer who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011. BBC Manchester reports that Woolfenden posted material to the self-described 'pro-white' platform White Pilled TV and to a Telegram group.

Woolfenden also admitted five counts of possessing documents likely to be useful to a person committing terrorism, three counts of stirring up racial hatred, and one count each of stirring up religious hatred and hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation. BBC Manchester reports he had written his own terrorist manifesto in which he referenced waiting until after an election in 2028. The judge noted that material showed Woolfelden 'advocating violence against groups' from a white supremacist perspective and expressed concern about 'what you were thinking and writing about'.

Woolfenden was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The judge ordered pre-sentence reports to be compiled, including an assessment of whether he is a 'dangerous' offender. He will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 4 December.

How it is being reported

• Teen who 'made terrorism manifesto' admits chargesDamian Woolfenden, 18, also shared a video of a mass killing online, the Old Bailey hears.BBC Manchester · 23 Oct, 13:10
• Teenager from Bury admits terror offences over posting of mass killing live stream and murderer's manifestoDamien Woolfenden, 18, appeared at the Old BaileyManchester Evening News · 23 Oct, 13:09

In this story: Damien Woolfenden · Brenton Tarrant · Anders Breivik · Bury · Old Bailey · Manchester Crown Court

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