Ex-soldier from Norwich jailed for terror offences and indecent images

The court heard Serj Forster had Nazi memorabilia and 262 Category A indecent images of children at his home

An ex-soldier found with terrorism documents, Nazi memorabilia and indecent images of children has been jailed for four years.

Serj Forster, 26, was arrested at home in Norwich in May last year, and police seized a number of items including instructions on bomb making.

Forster was found guilty of collecting terrorist publications including the Advanced Anarchist Arsenal and US Army Improvised Munitions Handbook.

Hundreds of indecent images were found.

Forster pleaded guilty to a third charge of possessing a handbook with instructions on making a sheet-metal gun at home, but was cleared of a fourth charge.

His trial, which ended in February, heard that Forster, of Cardiff Road, was "fascinated" by the extreme right.

Sentencing him at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Judge Richard Marks referred to a night out Forster had in London where he was pictured doing the Nazi salute in front of a Black Lives Matter slogan.

However, Judge Marks noted that Forster had never "been on marches, demonstrations, political meetings and never joined any political parties or associations".

Images showed 'distress'

Forster had a separate trial where he faced three offences relating to making indecent images of children.

The trial heard that there were hundreds of still and moving images seized, including 262 classed as Category A - the most serious type.

Defence counsel John Lyons had argued that Forster's phone was hacked, but he was found guilty.

Judge Marks said the children pictured were as young as three years old and clearly showed signs of "distress".

'Obsessed'

Other items police found in the offender's property included Nazi memorabilia, National Front stickers as well as knives and imitation guns.

The court heard that, as a schoolboy, Forster was referred to Prevent over his "neo-Nazi" views, and the judge noted he had "failed to respond" in a meaningful way to the government-funded scheme, which aims to steer people away from extremist ideologies.

At 13, he joined the British group National Action, which is now a banned terror organisation, and was kicked out of college because of his beliefs in May 2013.

Forster began basic Army training in 2017, but was made to leave after his extreme right-wing comments were discovered on Twitter, now known as X.

Prosecutor Ben Lloyd said Forster had previously described himself as being "obsessed" with right wing culture.

"In May 2022, he [Forster] said in summary that he accepted that he had been involved with the far right since he was aged about 13," said Mr Lloyd.

Forster told police he accepted his involvement with the far right, and had an interest in the English Defence League and National Action.

Forster will serve one year on license once released from jail and will be subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.