White supremacist loner who planned mass killing spree jailed

A white supremacist loner who planned a mass killing spree in his home town in Cumbria has been jailed for nine years.

Shane Fletcher, 21, from Workington, wanted to emulate the Columbine High School shooters, who murdered 12 students and one teacher at their school in Colorado in 1999 before killing themselves.

His target was a version of a medieval football game, the Uppies and Downies, which sees thousands gather in the streets each Easter to play and spectate.

Fletcher had spoken of his hatred of Workington and how easy it would be to get a van and plough down people, after being bullied in his teenage years.

Passing an extended sentence at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Patrick Field QC told Fletcher it was a “deeply troubling case” in which the defendant was motivated by hatred, revenge and nihilism.

Fletcher must serve at least two thirds of his custodial term and will be subject to an extended licence period of four years if the Parole Board considers him safe to be released.

Classing him as a dangerous offender, the judge noted Fletcher’s obsessions with mass killing spree murderers – including Cumbrian taxi driver Derrick Bird and US church gunman Dylann Roof – along with his hatred of various religious and ethnic groups, women and homosexuals.

In January, Fletcher, of Wastwater Avenue, was found guilty of one count of soliciting to murder and two counts of collecting or making a record of information useful for terrorism purposes.

He received concurrent sentences of three years each for the terrorism offences.