Racist podcast accused James Allchurch says terms 'out of date'

James Allchurch denies 15 charges of distributing a sound recording

A man accused of making racist podcasts did not realise the words he used were offensive, he has told a court.

James Allchurch, 51, from Gelli in Pembrokeshire told a jury at Swansea Civic Centre he spent "12 hours a day" making podcasts.

They praised Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf the court previously heard and told listeners to "make sure that your friends are all white".

He denies 15 charges of distributing a recording stirring up racial hatred.

'Out of date' terms

During the opening of Mr Allchurch's defence case, he was asked by defence barrister Emily Baxter why he used racially offensive words in his podcasts.

He told the court he did not realise the terms were offensive.

When it was put to him by Ms Baxter, whether he agreed some might see those words as "out of date", Mr Allchurch replied: "I know that now and no longer use terminology like that unless quoting from earlier works."

The podcasts, uploaded on or before 17 May 2019 and 18 March 2021 to a website called Radio Aryan, later changed to Radio Albion, contained "virulently racist content", the court previously heard.

Mr Allchurch was asked about his radio name, Edward Longshanks, said to be a reference to King Edward I who was responsible for expelling Jews from England in 1290.

'Non-violent'

He testified he did not intend anti-Jewish sentiment with the name and did not consider it to be anti-Semitic.

The defence also questioned what impression "a nationalist should come away with" from the podcasts and the website in general.

Mr Allchurch said: "A non-violent one and one that correctly apportions blame on government policy."

Asked by Ms Baxter if he "advocated for breaking the law" or "advocated for hatred", he replied: "I do not."

The case continues.