Walsall man sentenced for terror offences

A man from Walsall has been jailed for eight years and six months after being found guilty of possessing explosive material and manuals on how to make improvised explosives and firearms.

Vaughn Dolphin was arrested on 27 June 2022 at an address in Cheshire on suspicion of terrorism offences, after an investigation by counter terrorism police.

He was found guilty of two offences of possessing chemicals to make explosive material at Birmingham Crown Court. He was also found guilty of six offences relating to the possession and distribution of terrorist manuals.

Dolphin was also convicted of two further charges of disseminating a terrorist publication, being reckless as to whether terrorist activity would be encouraged, as well as a charge of possession of a firearm.

The court was shown a video of Dolphin wearing homemade body armour adorned with Nazi symbols which he claimed he had wanted to wear it at a cosplay convention, where people dress in costumes of real or fictional characters.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne, head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands CTU, said: “Dolphin had claimed he had an interest in chemicals and military memorabilia however he combined a toxic extremist mindset, sharing right wing material online with the real-world acquisition of explosive material and homemade weapons.

“His mindset is one of a dangerous individual equipping themselves to harm others who did not look like him or who he disagreed with.

“Extremists use this kind of ideology to create discord, distrust and fear among our communities, our work to target dangerous individuals continues.”

Image: Queen Elizabeth Law Courts
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