Lab technician Charles Cannon sentenced for terrorism offences

Charles Cannon, pictured arriving in court in 2022, received a suspended sentence

A laboratory technician who collected documents on how to make homemade explosives and weapons has avoided a prison sentence.

Charles Cannon, 22, of Aldershot, Hampshire, was convicted of seven charges of possessing terrorist information dating back six years.

He was described as having a "dangerous mindset" and speaking "enthusiastically of the stabbing of asylum seekers".

Cannon was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Ben Isaacs, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court that the former Catholic school pupil, who went on to work for Procter & Gamble, had "terrorist motivations".

"He repeated on many occasions anti-Semitic tropes, he said he would kill when speaking about people of colour, he spoke enthusiastically of the stabbing of asylum seekers," he told the court.

'Hateful views'

Mr Isaacs told the trial that Cannon, who has autism, was stopped at Luton airport under terrorism regulations in August 2020 and a search of his phone found a guide on making explosives.

He said that further searches of his devices and his computer at his home uncovered the other documents as well as racist, anti-semitic and misogynistic messages on social media.

The documents found on his computer included guides on homemade explosives, "unconventional warfare devices and techniques", and "booby traps".

Giving evidence, Cannon had said that he had downloaded the files to research the production of the drug methamphetamine as part of his fixation on the show Breaking Bad, which tells the story of a teacher who makes it to fund his cancer treatment.

Cannon admitted that he had previously held "vile and disgusting" views but his politics had changed under the influence of his Brazilian wife whom he married a year ago.

Passing sentence Judge Jane Miller KC told Cannon: "It's clear that you held, and likely still do harbour, extremist and hateful views."

She said that she had taken in consideration his age when the offences were committed and his mental health and lack of previous convictions when deciding to suspend the prison sentence.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].