Workington terror accused Shane Fletcher 'identified as risk'

Shane Fletcher spoke about Columbine and the Hungerford massacres to his probation officer, Manchester Crown Court heard

A white supremacist accused of planning a Columbine-style massacre was identified as a risk months before his arrest, a court has heard.

Shane Fletcher, 21, wanted to target an event in his home town of Workington, Cumbria, to "take revenge" on those he blamed for his "unhappy life".

Manchester Crown Court heard he had been referred to the government's Prevent counter-terror programme.

The 21-year-old denies possessing bomb-making manuals and soliciting murder.

The court was told Mr Fletcher wanted to achieve notoriety in emulating the Columbine High School shooters by committing a "murderous mass attack" at last year's traditional Uppies and Downies event - where large numbers of participants gather every Easter for street football matches.

Giving evidence, Mr Fletcher's probation officer, Lee Cartner, described his client as "disillusioned" and "a loner".

'Race traitors'

In meetings from April 2017, Mr Fletcher openly identified as being racist and Mr Cartner noted he was "a risk to minorities, particularly Muslim" after Mr Fletcher told him he had dreamt of shooting at a mosque, the court heard.

Despite the views being challenged, Mr Fletcher remained "insistent" and in June 2017 he was referred to the government's Prevent counter-terror programme.

Jurors were told that talks were held about the possibility of Mr Fletcher meeting with former members of EDL or Combat 18, but Mr Cartner said the defendant was "very clear" he did not want to do that.

"He described any such former members as being race traitors," Mr Cartner told the court.

It was made clear to Mr Fletcher he would continue to be monitored and the offer of talks remained open, the probation officer said.

'Mass killing'

Mr Cartner said his concerns increased from December, when Mr Fletcher spoke about Columbine and the Hungerford massacres.

"He was becoming more specific in terms of an intention to cause harm," he said. "I thought that these fixations of mass casualty events were starting to increase.

"He told me the only thing stopping him carrying out a mass killing was lack of finances and resources, but he did say he knew people from Liverpool who could get guns for him and he did know to make a bomb from the internet."

Mr Fletcher was arrested at his home in Wastwater Avenue on 10 March 2018.

He denies soliciting murder and collecting or making a record of information useful for terrorism purposes, namely instructions on how to make a pipe bomb and napalm.

The trial continues.