December 5, 2019 Faith Matters

Alleged neo-Nazi granted bail after mother puts up £50,000 security

An alleged neo-Nazi accused of a string of terror and race hate offences has been granted bail – after his academic mother put up a £50,000 security.

Student Andrew Dymock, 22, is alleged to have promoted the extreme-right System Resistance Network (SRN) group through his Twitter account and website.

Prosecutors allege that he urged followers to engage in terrorist activity, stir up hatred in their communities, fundraise for the group and distribute propaganda, including material that “endangers life and encourages killing”.

The son of academics, Dymock, from Bath, Somerset, was first arrested at Gatwick Airport on his way to the US in June last year – and was again held on Wednesday.

He was allegedly caught with right-wing literature, as well as clothing and flags linked to the extreme Misanthropic Division, Atomwaffen Division and Sonnenkrieg Division groups.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with 12 terror offences and three charges of publishing material in a bid to stir up hatred based on race and sexual orientation.

They include five counts of encouraging terrorism, four counts of disseminating terrorist publications, two counts of terrorist fundraising, one count of possessing material that is of use to a terrorist, and three charges under the Public Order Act.

One of the documents allegedly found in his possession was a poster entitled: “Rape the Cops. System Whores get the F****** Rope.”

Other charges relate to Twitter posts said to include the words: “Join your local Nazis.”

Bearded Dymock, wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt over a T-shirt and jeans, smiled to his mother as he entered the dock, while she waved from the public gallery.

He stood to confirm his name, address, date of birth and that he is British and yawned as the lengthy indictment was read out.

Dymock, who was studying politics at Aberystwyth University at the time of his first arrest, indicated not guilty pleas to all of the charges.

Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot granted Dymock bail with a string of conditions, including restrictions on his mobile phone and internet use, after his mother agreed to pay a £50,000 security.

Dymock cannot go to any international transport hub and is subject to residence conditions and a tagged curfew.

He is expected to be freed from custody by Monday and will next appear at the Old Bailey on December 20.