A man has been jailed for sharing extreme right wing terrorist content with online followers, following an investigation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
Kristofer Thomas Kearney, 38 (29.09.84) posted dozens of documents on an open Telegram channel which showed his white supremacist views and encouraged terrorism.
Counter-terrorism officers worked with Spanish police to arrest him near his home in Alicante in March 2022. He was arrested under a Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TaCA) warrant obtained by detectives.
On Friday, 23 June at the Old Bailey, he was sentenced to four years and eight months’ imprisonment, with a two-year extended licence period.
Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Kearney brazenly posted abhorrent extremist material online, advertising it to hundreds of people who followed his account. He may have thought that, being in Spain, he could act with impunity. However, he was wrong – our officers travelled to Spain to arrest Kearney, and had him extradited so he could face these charges.
“As part of our investigation, we worked with the Spanish Police and their assistance was invaluable.”
The court heard that Kearney was said to be a member of Patriotic Alternative, an extreme right wing group. He is believed to have previously been affiliated with National Action, before it was proscribed.
In January 2021 and then in March 2021, he posted a large collection of white supremacist texts and recordings, to around 1,700 people who had subscribed to his Telegram channel.
He went by the username “CharlieBigPotatoes”. He was living in Alicante in northern Spain, at the time.
The material included recordings by neo-Nazis, white supremacist texts, and “manifestos” written by the perpetrators of extreme right-wing terror attacks.
The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command worked closely with Spain’s Comisaría General de Información de Policía Nacional, who arrested Kearney near his home on 22 March 2022.
He was extradited from Spain on 8 September 2022 and arrested by counter terrorism officers as he arrived back in the UK. He was charged that evening.
Kearney admitted to two counts of disseminating a terrorist publication (under Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2000) at the Old Bailey on 1 March 2023.
+ Terrorist content can be reported online and anonymously.
It can also be reported via the “iREPORTit” app.
Communities defeat terrorism, and information from the public is vital to counter terrorism investigations. If you see or hear something unusual or suspicious and think someone may be engaging in terrorist activity, trust your instincts and act by reporting it in confidence at gov.uk/ACT or the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. In an emergency, dial 999.
Visit the ACT Early website to find out how you can seek help and support for anyone who you suspect may be being radicalised.
