Teenager planned far-right terror attack ‘to accelerate race war’ in Britain

Luke Skelton carried out hostile reconnaissance at Newcastle police stations after writing that he had to ‘fight’ for white people

Luke Skelton, 19, was convicted of preparing an act of terrorism (Counter Terrorism Policing North-East)

A teenager who wanted to accelerate a “race war” in Britain has been convicted of planning a far-right terror attack targeting police stations in Newcastle.

Luke Skelton, now 19, carried out hostile reconnaissance and wrote a manifesto and “final note” to spread his message after the attack.

He denied preparing acts of terrorism in the year leading up to his arrest in October 2021, but was convicted by a jury at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday. His plot is among at least 37 foiled in Britain since March 2017, of which over a third were extreme right-wing.