Yorkshire conspiracy theorist Christine Grayson wanted ‘sabotage team’ to ‘get rid of 5G masts’
A conspiracy theorist has been found guilty of encouraging terrorism following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Darren Reynolds, 60, was convicted of direct or indirect encouragement of terrorism to others to the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, dissemination of an act of terrorism and six counts of possession of material containing information likely to be useful to a person committing an act of terrorism.
He was found not guilty of two counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication and one count of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
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The charges Reynolds was convicted of relate to his possession of material titled “How To Become An Assassin”. Counter Terrorism North East Policing said he collected multiple sources of illegal neo-Nazi material that included images and videos that were racist and anti-Semitic.
Reynolds’ co-accused Christine Grayson was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit criminal damage in relation to a plan to burn down 5G masts. She was found not guilty of encouraging terrorism.
During the trial, jurors heard how Grayson had described the pair as “Bonny and Clyde with a box of matches” as she conspired to burn down 5G masts put up in her area. The 59-year-old, of Boothwood Road in York, said in one message on Telegram in July 2021: “Solution: burn the f***** down, they’re mostly in highly populated areas, so getting to them is no biggy.”
Tom Storey, prosecuting, told jurors during his opening in April this year that Grayson said she needed a “sabotage team” to “get rid of these 5G bloody near me” in a Telegram exchange on August 7, 2021.
The court heard Reynolds, of Newbould Crescent, Sheffield, and Grayson, were arrested in June last year and released under investigation. They were again arrested in August and Mr Storey said: “Christine Grayson was again obstructive towards the interviewing officers, telling that she did not understand anything they said to her, that they had no authority to do what they had done to her that day, and that they had kidnapped her. She said she did not agree with 5G masts, because they hurt, harmed and injured people.”
Grayson told officers that she believed 5G was a weapon but that did not mean she was going to do something in relation to them. She told officers she would rather write to the Government about the masts, than blow them up.
Mr Storey said: “She said she did not appreciate the police barging into her house and behaving like terrorists, before calling her one…”
Grayson told officers she stood under common law, the law of the land and said “Magna Carta said there should be English people running the country.”
Both Reynolds and Grayson will be sentenced on Monday, June 5. Following their convictions, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: “Hateful views aim to sow discord and distrust in our communities, and one post or video has the power to radicalise and encourage others to commit acts of terrorism.
“If you’re concerned about something you’ve seen or heard, trust your instincts and report it. You can report your concerns in confidence at gov.uk/ACT.”
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