Mason Yates, 19, of Elstree Court, Widnes, was arrested in January 2021 following a warrant at his home address, where officers seized a number of media devices and items displaying extreme Right-Wing ideology.
His phone was examined, and a large number of Extreme Right-Wing images, as well as relevant electronic documents, were recovered. Yates was charged with two counts of collecting or making a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, in violation of Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Yates had previously pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image, which is a violation of section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2003. This image was recovered from a mobile device seized by officers during a search.
CTPNW Detective Chief Inspector Clare Devlin said, “This was a thorough and comprehensive investigation that resulted in Yates facing 30 months in prison.”
“Today’s sentencing reaffirms our commitment to pursuing and prosecuting those who pose a risk to our society.” Extremists using this type of ideology can instil fear and distrust in our communities, and CTPNW is committed to identifying and prosecuting those responsible.
“Reports of this nature are always taken seriously, and we would encourage anyone who has any concerns about people expressing extremist views to call the UK Anti-Terrorism Hotline in confidence on 0800 789 321 or use the secure online form at Gov.uk/ACT.”
Every year, thousands of public reports assist police in combating the terrorist threat. Trust your instincts and ACT if you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right. Reporting will not endanger lives, but it may save them. Terrorism is combated through action. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
