National Action: Alleged neo-Nazi terrorist appears in court charged with plotting to murder Labour MP with machete

Six alleged members of neo-Nazi terrorist group to go on trial in June

Christopher Lythgoe, a 22-year-old man from Lancashire who cannot be named for legal reasons, Garron Helm, Michael Trubini, Andrew Clarke and Matthew Hankinson at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London (PA)

An alleged neo-Nazi has appeared in court charged with plotting to murder a Labour MP with a machete.

The 22-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with preparing an act of terrorism by allegedly buying a “Gladius Machete” – a type of weapon used by Celtic tribes and Roman legions – for the purpose of murdering Rosie Cooper.

The defendant, from Lancashire, is also accused of making threats to kill a female police officer.

He has appeared with five other men at London's Old Bailey, where the Honourable Mr Justice Jay set their trial date for 11 June.

They are accused of being members of the banned neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action, which became the first extreme right-wing group to be proscribed in the UK.

Christopher Lythgoe, 31, of Greymist Avenue in Woolston, is accused of being the group’s regional leader and has been additionally charged with encouragement to commit murder.

Mr Lythgoe and the 22-year-old defendant also stand accused of belonging to a proscribed organisation, alongside Garron Helm, 24, of Seaforth, Matthew Hankinson, 23, from Newton-Le-Willows, Andrew Clarke, 23, of Paddington and Michal Trubini, 35, from Warrington

They did not enter any pleas during a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on Monday, when they were remanded in custody.

National Action was banned as a terrorist group in December 2016 and two of its aliases - Scottish Dawn and NS131 – have since been prohibited in an order that cited their “virulently racist, antisemitic and homophobic” ideology.