National Action: Judge to accept majority verdict

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Alex DaviesImage source, Andrew Matthews/PA
Image caption,

Alex Davies, from Swansea, is accused of being a member of National Action after it was banned

Jurors in the trial of a man accused of being a member of a terrorist organisation have been told a majority verdict is acceptable.

Alex Davies, 27, from Swansea, co-founded National Action in 2013. It was banned by the UK government in 2016.

He is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of being a member of the organisation after it was banned.

Judge Mark Dennis QC told the jury he is prepared to accept a verdict where at least 10 of the 12 jurors agree.

The jury, made up of six men and six women that, were given the instruction following 12 hours and 21 minutes of deliberations.

Barnaby Jameson QC, prosecuting, has told the trial that the UK government banned the group after it had "terrorised" towns across the country with its call for an "all-out race war".

Mr Davies is accused of setting up NS131, which stood for National Socialist Anti-Capitalist Action and which itself was later banned by the government, as a continuity group.

Image caption,

National Action was founded in 2013 by Ben Raymond and Alex Davies (pictured)

Mr Davies has told the court that NS131 was not set up as a continuation of NA and had different aims and processes.

He said that, after the ban, he was involved in "advancing the cause of national socialism not the cause of a continuity NA".

He added: "After proscription, all I am interested in is pursuing legal political activities."

Mr Davies denies membership of a proscribed organisation between December 17 2016, and September 27 2017.

The trial continues.

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