Far-right terror charges against 16-year-old girl dropped

Prosecutors have dropped terror charges against a schoolgirl accused of far-right extremism.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be identified because of her age, was allegedly caught with a bomb-making video and instructions on how to build a homemade gun using a 3D printer.

She was facing trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the case had been dropped at the end of last year.

“In light of developments the CPS further reviewed the case and concluded that it no longer met our legal test for prosecution and it was discontinued,” a spokesman said.

The girl, from Derbyshire, was referred to the Government’s Prevent deradicalisation programme by her mother, who said she had developed an admiration for Adolf Hitler.

She was also said to be a Holocaust denier who had downloaded instructions on how to construct a pipe bomb and referenced a desire to blow up a synagogue and slash people’s throats.

The teenager denied five counts of possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism on dates in August and September 2020.

The charges related to a bomb-making video as well as digital documents named Improvised Munitions Handbook, Expedient Homemade Firearms, Kitchen Improvised Fertiliser Explosives and Making Plastic Explosives From Bleach.

She also denied possessing an article in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that it was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism on August 22 2020.

The article was a zip file alleged to contain instructions on how to make a homemade firearm using a 3D printer.