A neo-Nazi student who promoted an extremist organisation that was later banned as a terror group has been found guilty of terror and hate offences.
Andrew Dymock used online platforms to raise money for System Resistance Network (SRN), one of a number of groups that sought to fill a gap after the far-right group National Action (NA) was proscribed in 2016.
The 24-year-old faces a jail sentence after he was found guilty at the Old Bailey of 15 charges, including 12 terrorism-related offences in 2017 and 2018.
His trial heard how he had used a Twitter account and a website to promote SRN, which aimed to “stir up a race war” and “preached zero-tolerance” of non-white, Jewish and Muslim communities and described homosexuality as a “disease”.
Dymock, who was studying politics at Aberystwyth University in Wales at the time, denied being behind the accounts, claiming he was framed by his now former partner, who he said had failed to recruit him to join NA.
But he was found guilty of five charges of encouraging terrorism, two of fundraising for terrorism, four counts of disseminating terrorist publications, possessing a terrorist document, stirring up racial hatred and hatred based on sexual orientation, and possessing racially inflammatory material.
Dymock closed his eyes and shook his head as the verdicts were delivered, then looked towards the public gallery and to his parents, Stella and Dr David Dymock, a professor of dentistry at Bristol University, who he lives with in Bath.
With tears in his eyes, he asked to say goodbye to his mother and father, telling jurors: “Thank you for killing me.” His mother said: “National Action has done this.”
Dymock was remanded in custody by Judge Mark Dennis QC until his sentencing on 24 June.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward had told jurors Dymock was not being prosecuted for holding racist, antisemitic or homophobic beliefs, or for his “adherence to a neo-Nazi creed”, but for his encouragement of terrorist activity and violence.
An examination of Dymock’s computer revealed longstanding extremist views dating back to when he was 17, including a Google translation of the words “kill all of the Jews”.
Ledward cited an online article that was said to have been written by Dymock, which she said had been “clear in its encouragement of the eradication of Jewish people”.
“The author calls for the destruction, the eradication, the extermination of an entire race of people,” he told the court.
The trial heard that Dymock was expelled from SRN in late February 2018 and in June that year was arrested, in connection with other matters, at Gatwick airport where he had intended to board a flight to the US.
Welcoming the conviction, the anti-racism group Hope not Hate (HnH) described Dymock as being “as dangerous and as he was devious”.
“He tried at every angle to wriggle out of the responsibility for his involvement in some of the most vile and sickening Nazi propaganda we have ever seen,” said Matthew Collins, head of intelligence at HnH.
Dymock’s conviction followed an extensive police investigation which involved the review of over 400,000 images, videos, social media posts and other material.
Det Ch Supt Martin Snowden – head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, which led the investigation – said: “This is another case which shows how harmful online extremism is.
“Our investigation unearthed a large amount of material that expressed not only extreme rightwing views but also attempted to stir up widespread hatred and division in our communities.”