Gabriel Budasz, a 24-year-old extremist, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for posting videos of an extreme right-wing nature on social media. Winchester Crown Court convicted Budasz of terror offences, after police discovered extremist books, masks, memorabilia and a 3D-printed firearm at his home in August 2023. Judge Forster told the defendant that he had no interest in how his actions could have impacted others.
Prosecutors seized Budasz’s mobile and computer devices, and discovered that he used various social media sites under different usernames to post extreme right-wing content. Budasz lived in supported accommodation where he made videos that were broadcast on social media. He dressed in robes and a mask to conceal his true identity and used props to encourage violence, including a 3D-printed plastic handgun made in his bedroom. The prosecution noted that he was emulating Brenton Tarrant, who carried out mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand in 2019.
Budasz’s defence lawyer, Tim Forte, told the court that his client had a severe developmental disorder that made him less mature than other men of his age. Forte also argued that the defendant’s social media following was “not a large audience,” with only 44 followers. However, Judge Forster ruled out any direct connection between Budasz’s mental disorder and his crimes after two expert witnesses determined that he had the capacity to form intent. The judge criticised Budasz’s lack of empathy and his inability to comprehend the verdicts reached by the jury.
Budasz was sentenced to 12 years in prison, followed by three years under licence. He was also subjected to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for 30 years. The court heard how he faced challenges in education, leading to foster care. His lack of insight into the seriousness of his actions was underlined by his description of the trial as a “comedy show.
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