Teen charged with terror offences set for trial

A teenager accused of making explosives to blackmail and creating deepfake images of girls could face a trial next year.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested at his home in south Norfolk on 10 April last year after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

The allegations include making explosives and distributing terror manuals and stirring up racial hatred.

The boy, who is on conditional bail, appeared at the Old Bailey in London and a provisional trial date was fixed for April 2027.

He is alleged to have "catfished" men online in order to blackmail them over sexual images and is accused of producing deepfake sexual images of six teenage girls.

Catfishing is the slang term given to describe the act of creating a fake online identity to trick the victim.

The 16 counts are as follows:

• One of possessing a record containing information useful to terrorism
• Two of distributing a terrorist publication
• Four of making an explosive substance and one of having an explosive substance
• One of possessing a firearm
• Two of distributing written material to stir up racial hatred
• One of criminal damage
• One of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage
• Two of blackmail
• One for making six indecent pseudo-photographs of children

A plea hearing has been set for 25 September at Leicester Crown Court.

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.