A young man was jailed for five-and-a-half years for terrorism offenses over right-wing extremism. Tobias Gleed, of Meadows Crescent, Honiton, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court.
The 20-year-old was convicted and guilty of four offenses of possession of a document or record for a terrorist purpose and four offenses of dissemination of a terrorist publication.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing South West (CTPSW), Det Supt Sarah Robbins added:
“Gleed poses a threat to our communities and the harm caused by his offences, including the impact of the content he posted, cannot be overstated.”
She said: “These type of offences have the potential to be a dangerous, radicalising influence and it’s correct he’s been found guilty of his behaviour. “I am grateful that, thanks to the efforts of our unit, the evidence against Gleed has led to this result.”
Gleed was detained in September 2022 as part of CTPSW investigation. During the course of the investigation, his digital devices with publications of extremist right wing terrorist content were seized. Investigators found that this was proof of his fascination with extreme content which he advertised and circulated to others over the internet via messaging apps.
Tobias Gleed, a homeless man, was found guilty at Winchester Crown Court after a trial lasting two weeks. He had been convicted of four charges of having documents that would be likely to be beneficial for the purposes of an act of terrorism or preparing an act of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000, two charges of distributing terrorist publications and two additional charges of providing a service that facilitated access to terrorist publications, both under the Terrorism Act 2006
He was ordered to spend five years and six months in jail and will have to spend two-thirds of this with an additional year on licence. He received a five-year Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) on release as well.
In passing sentence, His Honour Judge Christopher Parker KC, at Winchester Crown Court, told Gleed he had committed one offence after he had been arrested, had not responded to warnings and had resisted assistance being offered. He told Gleed he had not known who was on the receiving end of the material he was distributing.
He considered Gleed’s immaturity and age, his background, potential neurodivergence, personality and mental health, which might cause obsessive thinking and a lack of comprehension. He stated Gleed had no prior convictions for terrorism-related offences.
Sentencing Gleed to five-and-a-half years, the judge added:
“You are a very young person and you present as somebody who is articulate and clever, but you are seriously under educated, your lack of education has had a devastating impact on the manner in which you have grown up.”.
Most of your potential has been rather wasted so far. You have been misled in what you believe. You are immature both in years and in what you believe. It is possible that your intelligence and ability to communicate had camouflaged the immaturity.”
