'Neo-Nazi' upset he did not kill solicitor - court

Cavan Medlock threatened to kill solicitor Toufique Hossain, the court heard

An alleged neo-Nazi said he was "upset" he did not get to "finish the job" and kill a solicitor, a court has heard.

Cavan Medlock is alleged to have arrived at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow on 7 September 2020, armed with a combat knife and handcuffs, while carrying Confederate and Nazi flags.

He threatened to kill solicitor Toufique Hossain, the court heard.

Medlock, 31, of Harrow, denies charges of making a threat to kill Mr Hossain and the preparation of terrorist acts.

• Man denies plot to kill London solicitor

Sheroy Zaq, who was working as a solicitor in Duncan Lewis's public law and immigration departments at the time, told Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday that the racial abuse from Medlock was "relentless".

Mr Zaq said that, when asked by staff why he was at the law office, Medlock replied: "I'm here to kill Toufique Hossain."

Prosecutor Timothy Cray KC asked Mr Zaq: "Did he say anything else about the killing?"

The solicitor replied: "He just said he was upset with himself that he didn't get to finish the job."

'Deep hatred'

The court heard that Medlock was restrained by the law firm's staff after he advanced on a receptionist while holding a knife and demanding to see Mr Hossain.

Giving evidence at the trial, Mr Hossain said: "For me, what was pretty horrifying about it, was that he (Medlock) was stone-cold, very unemotional - looking at me with a real deep hatred."

Mr Hossain said he heard Medlock telling staff at the law firm "you've been helping these rats come to this country" and "various antisemitic things like 'Hitler was right"'.

A phone seized from Medlock shows that he had conducted research on the solicitor and read a newspaper article which named Mr Hossain as a lawyer who was assisting immigrants, the court heard.

Witness and trainee solicitor Efrat Idelson told Kingston Crown Court that Medlock had said to her: "Hitler did not finish the work with you" after she told him she was Jewish.

"He was very violent, aggressive and his comments were very racist and antisemitic," she told the court.

The court heard that Medlock got receptionist Ravindran Tharmalangam in a headlock before being disarmed.

'Rallying call'

On Monday, the court heard that in police interviews Medlock said he took the Confederate battle flag, often associated with slavery, and the Nazi swastika to display as a "rallying call".

He added that he wanted to "inspire other Nationalists" to "push back" against supporters of Black Lives Matter and "people who are tearing down our statues", the court heard.

In relation to the Nazi flag, Medlock told police: "And the Nazi flag - it's just a rallying call to other Nationalists who are of that disposition.

"I would say I was a National Socialist, yeah, and I do believe Hitler should have won."

The trial continues.

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