A man from Wakefield who led a far right group that had gathered weapons to attack mosques and synagogues has been jailed.

Brogan Stewart, from Tingley, was jailed for 11 years, alongside two other members of the Nazi group, who were preparing for a “race war”.

Stewart, 25, Marco Pitzettu, 26, of Derby, and Christopher Ringrose, 35, from Cannock, were found guilty of planning an act of terrorism, along with multiple terrorism and firearms offences in May, following a nine-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

They were jailed for a total of 29 year and, on release, will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order and Terrorism Notification Requirements for 30 years.

The group was arrested on February 20, 2024, by Counter Terrorism Policing North East, after an investigation discovered the men were planning to carry out a violent attack.

The self-styled “militant” online group provided an echo chamber of extreme right-wing views where they shared horrific racial slurs, glorified mass murderers and encouraged violence against anyone deemed an enemy.

The group idolized the Nazi regime, which was evident throughout their messages.

Leader Stewart set out uniform, rules and necessary equipment for members.

Pitzettu and Ringrose were named as “armourers”.

The trio discussed targets for harassment and attacks, including mosques, Islamic education centres and synagogues.

The group also prepared for what they believed was an inevitable race war and sourced body armour, rations and a cache of weapons as part of their planning.

More than 200 weapons were seized from the home addresses of the subjects, alongside riot gear, body armour and ration packs.

Counter terror police recovered an armoury of weapons

The weapons included machetes, hunting knives, swords, and crossbows.

Pitzettu had obtained an illegal stun gun, an offence which he pleaded guilty to prior to trial.

The group had also pursued acquiring a 3D printed firearm, of which Christopher Ringrose was convicted of manufacturing illegally.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley said: "They were a group that espoused vile racist views and advocated for violence, all to support their extreme right-wing mindset.

“Some of their defence in court was that it was all fantasy or just part of harmless chat, however all three took real world steps to plan and prepare for carrying out an attack on innocent citizens.

“This was a complex case involving multiple police forces and partners as well as resources from across the Counter Terrorism Policing network.

"I’d like to commend all involved for their hard work during this investigation and for playing their part in keeping the public safe from terrorism.

“The public’s support is vital to our mission to keep people safe.

"If you hear or see anything that doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and report it in confidence at gov.uk/ACT. You won’t be wasting our time. In an emergency, always call 999.”

Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division, said: "By their own admission, they were inspired by SS tactics and supremacist ideology.

“Had Christopher Ringrose managed to completely finish building the 3D printed semi-automatic firearm that he had started to, it could have been used leading to devastating consequences.

"Extremism is a threat to our society and we will always aim to keep communities safe by seeking to prosecute anyone who prepares for acts of terrorism.”