GREENOCK SHERIFF COURT SENTENCES RIGHT-WING EXTREMIST FOR TERRORISM AND CHILD SEX CRIMES
Axl Scott was sentenced to 18 months at Greenock Sheriff Court - weeks after being locked up for three years for multiple crimes of indecent activity involving underage females.The 22-year-old pleaded guilty in May to seven of 18 indictment charges, most of which related to Terrorism Act offences.
The court heard that Scott - described by his own defence advocate as 'a very odd young man' - was found with a blank firing pistol, a stun gun and smoke grenades in his home.
He also had photo and video instructions for the production of thermite, napalm, Molotov cocktails and RDX - a key chemical component of C-4.
The court was told that Scott joined several far-right extremist chat groups online, named after racist and anti-Semitic leaders and Nazi ideologies.
He sent pictures of himself wearing a swastika armband and making a Hitler salute - despite having Jewish relatives.
Communicating with other users on instant messaging apps such as Snapchat, WhatsApp and Telegram, Scott spoke of 'blowing up generators' to cause power outages, while a 3D printer - which can be used to create firearms - was discovered in his Ardentinny home during a police raid.
However, a Crown prosecutor told the court that 'there was never any intelligence suggesting that he was going to carry out any sort of attack'.
Scott was imprisoned earlier this year for multiple sexual assaults against young girls aged under 16 in Dunoon and elsewhere, having originally been accused of sending explicit photos to youngsters, engaging in sexual activity with various girls and supplying cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol to them.
One of the child witnesses in the sex offences case referred to Scott during police interviews as a 'Heil Hitler type of person' who had a number of weapons in his house including knives and guns.
He was arrested regarding the other matter in August 2022 and subsequent searches of his property uncovered a haul of indecent material.
The evidence uncovered clearly showed his extreme right-wing ideology and terrorist intentions.
These crimes can cause concern in the local communities and while they are rare, they serve as a reminder to remain vigilant.
