Extremely Dangerous

An " unashamed white supremacist" Prison Officer who founded and ran a fitness club for fascists has been jailed for possessing a Nazi " murder manual".

Ashley Podsiad-Sharp, from Barnsley, kept The Handbook - containing detailed advice on How To kill people in a Race War - in an encrypted Hard Drive .

He was of possessing a document likely to be useful in preparing an act of terrorism.

The 42-year-old worked at HMP Armley in Leeds until his arrest in May 2022.

Passing sentence at Sheffield Crown Court Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said Podsiad-Sharp " idolises Hitler, " denies The Holocaust and hates Jewish and gay people.

He described Podsiad-Sharp's White Stag Athletic Club (WSAC) as " a cauldron of self-absorbed neo-Nazism masquerading as a low grade all-male sports club" which he used to " camouflage your real purpose, to incite violence against those you hated".

Members of The Group were required to prove they were racist to gain access and were questioned about their racial heritage and sexuality during a vetting process, The Court heard.

Judge Richardson said he was confident members of The Group would eventually have committed acts of terrorist violence.

A far-right Handbook called the White Resistance Manual was found on Podsiad-Sharp's computer and Hard Drive by counter-terrorism police.

The 200-page document called for armed resistance against the " threat to the white race" from Jews and non-white people and gave detailed information on How To build weapons and carry out Terror Attacks , The Court heard.

Prosecutor Denise Bree-Lawton told Thursday's sentencing hearing that Podsiad-Sharp had " trained like a soldier" preparing for " armed struggle" as well as waging a " War of words" online to advance The Message of White Supremacy .

Peter Eguae, in mitigation, said there was no evidence Podsiad-Sharp " used or endorsed" The Manual . He Said his client " abhors violence" and argued his admiration for Hitler " doesn't make him a terrorist".

But Judge Richardson said he believed The Manual was an " integral part" of Podsiad-Sharp's " malign purpose" of " encouraging acute violence towards those you hate".

He told the defendant: " You were recruiting men with equally malevolent views.

" I have No Doubt whatsoever you harboured terrorist intentions and your motivation was terrorism.

" I have little to No Doubt one or more of those individuals would have indulged in violence towards a minority group that you, and they, hated. "

He Said the " Extremely Dangerous " defendant must serve an additional five years on licence following his release from prison and would be subject to a serious crime prevention order which restricts his use of The Internet .

Judge Richardson added he would write to justice secretary Alex Chalk MP to express concerns about Podsiad-Sharp's role at HMP Armley, where He Said the defendant would have had access to vulnerable and disaffected white men.

" A Man with the perverted and Extremely Dangerous views you hold should never be employed in the responsible position of a Prison Officer , " He Said .

Dressed in a T-shirt bearing the motto of Benito Mussolini 's fascist paramilitary Blackshirts, Podsiad-Sharp gestured to supporters as he was led away to prison, saying " Jesus knows the truth".

Source of news: bbc.com