Teenager jailed for terrorism offences
Felix Winter, aged 18 years, was today sentenced to six years in prison for Terrorism offences, at the High Court in Glasgow.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said:'This was an extremely complex and fast-moving investigation, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the diligence and hard work of the officers who worked tirelessly to gather the evidence and bring the perpetrator to justice.
'The inquiry also underlines the advantages of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme, which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism to help keep our communities safe.'
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Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Teen obsessed with Columbine massacre terrified pupils with 'shooter' costume
Felix Winter, 18, has been jailed for six years after wearing a costume to school that included an imitation firearm - his class had been studying the 1999 Columbine massacre An autistic teenager who became obsessed with the Columbine High School massacre terrified his classmates by wearing a costume to school that included an imitation firearm. Felix Winter, 18, was jailed for six years after admitting two charges – a breach of the peace and a charge under the Terrorism Act – at the High Court in Glasgow in February. The offences occurred between June 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023 at an Edinburgh high school and elsewhere. The court previously heard the 1999 Colorado massacre had been on the S3 curriculum for modern studies. In 2023, an investigation was launched after an image of Winter wearing combat gear and wielding an imitation firearm was shared on social media. Later, it emerged that he'd been given the costume as part of a drama class project, in which he'd been cast as a kidnapper. But Police Scotland learned that he'd spoken to other classmates about carrying out a school attack on several occasions. Winter, whom the court was earlier told is transgender, accepted it would 'cause alarm' when posted on social media, due to the comments he had made in the past professing admiration for the attack that killed 12 students and one teacher. At the same court on Wednesday, Judge Lord Arthurson jailed Winter for what he branded a 'prolonged, deeply disturbing and escalating course of criminal conduct'. The court heard Winter kept notes about the manufacture of cyanide and handguns, and 'relayed a desire to perpetrate a school shooting similar to Columbine, discussed placing bombs in a cafeteria and shooting people as they ran out of school', and engaged daily with pro-Nazi Discord groups online for more than 1,000 hours. Winter admitted 'uttering remarks' about the Columbine massacre, making comments about 'desire and plans to carry out acts of violence involving firearms, explosive devices and poisons against pupils and teachers', showing images of mass shootings to pupils, as well as making racist and homophobic comments. He also admitted making comments about 'planning to acquire a 3D printer for the purpose of manufacturing a firearm', and posting on TikTok showing him 'dressed in a manner resembling those responsible for the mass shooting at Columbine High School alongside audio referencing school shootings'. Winter pleaded guilty to a second charge of, between December 2, 2022 and July 9, 2023, possessing documents or records 'containing information likely to be useful to someone committing or preparing an act of terrorism'. Defending, Shelagh McCall KC said the motive was 'revenge for bullying' but she added Winter had 'experienced positive changes' since his arrest in July 2023. She said Winter 'was groomed by an online community into believing his violent fantasy was morally justified' following the 'loss of a friendship'. Ms McCall added: 'The risk assessor report finds that he felt harm was morally justified to those who harmed him, bullies at school and those who failed to protect him. The risk assessor found he started to express racist views in tandem with the rhetoric of an online community.' Lord Arthurson said Winter was 'immersed' in a pro-Nazi Discord group and was referred to the Prevent counter-terror programme in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. The judge said Winter 'increasingly saw yourself as a warrior', and had created 'visceral and graphic plans selecting which pupils and teachers you would kill and spare'. The court heard the teenager wrote 'the school is a virus on the earth and everyone should be looking at me as a god', and kept a journal about shooting people. In one video, Winter 'dressed in a tactical vest and helmet and imitation firearm' sought to 'glamourise' the Columbine massacre, while he also posted a video showing him walking along the school corridor, and watched 'gore' videos showing executions and dead bodies, the court heard. The judge said Winter was a 'vulnerable young person', and added: 'It is at least arguable you were progressing towards the brink of committing a mass school shooting and becoming radicalised, the statement of intent could not have been clearer. Your ideation grew in intensity; you took steps to obtain information likely to be of use to committing an act of terrorism. 'Your plans had become a degree more operationalised; you asked a witness to retain a journal and said you lied to police. In February you expressed annoyance you had been caught.' He said only a 'substantial' custodial sentence was appropriate. Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: 'This was an extremely complex and fast-moving investigation, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the diligence and hard work of the officers who worked tirelessly to gather the evidence and bring the perpetrator to justice. 'The inquiry also underlines the advantages of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme, which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism to help keep our communities safe.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Scots gun nut teen obsessed with Columbine killers who wanted to carry out ‘Doomsday' school shooting UNMASKED
A COLUMBINE-obsessed teenager who plotted to kill pupils and teachers in a 'Doomsday' shooting in revenge for bullying has been jailed for six years. Felix Winter, 18, fantasised about carrying out a massacre at his Edinburgh secondary school after idolising the twisted killers behind the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in the US, where 12 pupils and a teacher were shot dead. 3 3 3 The Nazi-worshipper sparked alarm by turning up to class in combat gear and carrying a gun. Investigators later found a chilling notebook where Winter had described his school as 'a virus' and scrawled 'all you f***ers need to die and you will soon.' The teenager - who the court previously heard was transgender and identifies as male - planned to wipe out classmates and staff with explosives, guns and poison, after claiming he was being picked on and learning about 'school shootings in modern studies'. Winter had already been referred to a UK-wide programme designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism before he devised the sick plot. But no further action was taken for months even despite Winter continuing to openly discuss mass shootings. Winter's defence team urged a judge not to jail the warped teen and instead impose a community order. But the judge ruled that out stating in his sentencing remarks that Winter appeared to be 'progressing to the brink of a mass school shooting'. Jailing Winter for six years today, Lord Paul Arthurson added: 'This was a prolonged, disturbing course of conduct.' Winter's parents were in court and his dad collapsed in shock at the sentence. Defence KC Shelagh McCall told the court Winter, who was just 15 when the plot attack was devised, was bullied. She told the court Winter had been 'groomed' by a twisted online community who made the wannabe killer believe the 'violent fantasy was morally justified'. She said: 'The cause was revenge for bullying. Nothing in the investigation provided proper basis for terrorism material. The accused identified with Columbine. 'He felt harm was justified towards those who had harmed him and to those who had failed to protect him.' A police probe kicked off in summer 2023 after a chilling photo of Winter dressed head-to-toe in combat gear and wielding an imitation rifle inside the school surfaced on social media. The image sparked panic among terrified parents and pupils. Winter, who harboured vile pro-Nazi and racist views, had already been flagged to a UK-wide anti-terror programme aimed at stopping young people from becoming radicalised. Winter had showed pals pictures and videos of dead victims of school shootings and even showed one pal detailed instructions involving explosions before telling them a plan to carrying out the suicide attack. Winter then dressed in clothes similar to those worn by the Columbine killers and posted a video on TikTok. Winter admitted to a breach of the peace and the separate charge under the Terrorism Act, with offences spanning from June 2022 to July 2023. Defence KC Shelagh McCall said Winter had autism, and that a professor had found a 'serious link' between the condition and the disturbing behaviour – insisting it was not driven by extremist ideology. She said Winter had shown clear progress since the arrest. She said: 'He has expressed regret and recognises that he didn't previously appreciate how his behaviour was impacting on others. 'He accepts in the context of his plea of guilty and his remarks about school shootings in 2022, him dressing in that costume and carrying that in a school would generate alarm to those who came upon it but this was not his intent.'
Edinburgh Reporter
5 days ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Teenager jailed for terrorism offences
A teenager who spoke of carrying out a mass shooting at an Edinburgh school has been jailed. Felix Winter, aged 18 years, was today sentenced to six years in prison for Terrorism offences, at the High Court in Glasgow. Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said:'This was an extremely complex and fast-moving investigation, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the diligence and hard work of the officers who worked tirelessly to gather the evidence and bring the perpetrator to justice. 'The inquiry also underlines the advantages of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme, which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism to help keep our communities safe.' Like this: Like Related
