Published On: Tue, Jul 30th, 2019

National Action Series; Part Six: Spare us the cutter, couldn’t cut the mustard

It happened very quietly in the last fortnight: a man was sentenced to three years in jail for being a member of National Action. Daniel Ward was originally amongst a set of five people who were arrested in September 2018, but as far as appearances go, he was the only one of this clutch of alleged membership that didn’t go on trial. All five were charged with being members of a proscribed group contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000, all of them bar Ward (or at least, so it appears) were tried in March and April at Birmingham Crown Court. As it transpired, the case saw another occasion where a jury failed to reach a verdict in the matter of National Action membership, following hot on the heels of the Crown’s Renshaw et al debacle (some detail of which can be read about in Part Five of this series).

The defining feature of this latest prosecution of alleged “far-right terrorists” was that while Alice Cutter – a girl in her early twenties to whom an attraction to “Nazi” symbolism may just as well have been as much to do with her gothic image as anything else – was a headline hogger, Daniel Ward completely disappeared from all the coverage. After a 12th October pre-trial hearing where the five were reported as being very much in it together, there was nothing to be heard of Daniel Ward until he was sentenced this last week gone. Of course, one assumes that he had pleaded guilty‡, but surprisingly there was not even any mention of this in BBC coverage of the January 2019 plea-entering hearing at which the others denied the charges. Hopefully, the reader has noted the delay between Ward’s apparent guilty plea and his sentencing – which could be a clue to a very strange reality.

There was also something very odd about the trial of the other four suspects. The corporate-media kept reporting a piece of data that the court was evidently generating that just wasn’t true. Given that the general method of convicting alleged National Action membership has by necessity involved asserting that any expression of neo-Nazism, or anti-Semitism is a proof of desire to be in the gang, this inaccuracy definitely created an impression about one of the defendants – Alice Cutter (who excused her comments about “killing Jews” as private “stupid dark humour” and “distasteful edginess”) – of more wannabe dedication than there might well have been. Thus, if it was not a case of corporate-media misrepresenting the trial for the sake of the court of public opinion, then there was something wrong with the trial. In fact, the extent of the problem that the issue suggests is not one that should be fully discussed at this juncture, given the four accused are going to be retried in January, 2020, and further observations need to be made at that time. For now, the reader can draw his own conclusions.

Of the four which included Alice Cutter (22), the other defendants were her fiancé, Mark Jones (24), Garry Jack (23), and Connor Scothern, who was a 17-year-old when he was arrested and thus always remained unnamed at the commencement of this case. According to an article in the Birmingham Mail, which is a valuable source of material not to be found elsewhere, Cutter was the only one who denied ever being a member of National Action; the other three say they left prior to the group’s proscription. Clearly, the prosecution couldn’t adequately prove otherwise, and an email presented as evidence clearly demonstrates the difficulty. Apparently “written by a man who has since been convicted of National Action membership” it was sent in September 2017 (nine months after proscription) to Jacks and Scothern, as well as other unnamed recipients, and it read (in part, at least):

I am sure you have all heard the news that 4 men have been arrested on the grounds that they are members of the terrorist organisation NA. I can understand any concern this will raise since some of our members are ex-NA but I don’t think anyone should be worried since we are not associated with NA in any way. NA is a dead movement and due to the vile tweets posted by a few select members it was proscribed…

Delete any affiliations you have to the group. Throw away or burn any memorabilia you are holding on to. If anyone is caught breaking the NA proscription or advocating for NA or even holding any NA memorabilia they will be kicked from the group.

Presumably the prosecution was arguing that because the sender of the email had been convicted of National Action membership, then this group to whom he was communicating – and of which he was also a member – therefore, was also National Action [note: hence the importance of convicting this individual]. That the email flatly denied this was presumably why it was called a “masterpiece of back-covering” and “wholly disingenuous”. Whatever merits the prosecution thought it had, the idea obviously didn’t fly – but now is not the time to get into explanations, or to pick over the bones of the prosecution’s general case.

However, something must be said in regards to Alice Cutter, where the effort to present her as having had past connections with National Action generated a factual inaccuracy. Alice Cutter supposedly entered a “Miss Hitler” beauty pageant in 2016, organised by National Action. Lots of the court reporting in corporate-media claimed that it was a competition that Cutter had won. One example is from the MailOnline, but there is so much of it that, for the sake of continuity, it is published under a foot note:†

Alice Cutter, 22, also posed in photographs for a Miss Hitler beauty competition – which she won – with a bandana across her mouth.

Actually, Alice Cutter did not win this competition. It was won by an individual from Scotland (Cutter is from Yorkshire) – and the Daily Mail should know, because it must have been where the story of the Miss Hitler pageant found the most part of its exposure. Publishing on 29th June, 2016, however, the Mail wasn’t the first outlet to do so: the Daily Star (27th June) led the way. The author could also find a version of the story in The Sun (29th June), The Mirror (29th June), Independent (30th June).

At her trial, Cutter was asked about how she felt “on seeing her face and those of other entrants splashed across the press” – and please note, what has been reproduced here is the corporate-media paraphrasing of what the author has presumed is defence attorney questioning. Cutter’s answer was that she panicked, having thought that the issue would not extend beyond National Action’s minimal internet presence. This is not the point, however. We need to notice that the question itself, according to the reporting, gives the impression that Cutter’s image was ubiquitous. Coupled with the mention of “other contestants”, the implication is that she had indeed won.

This is rough, given that Cutter was clearly additional ornament and not at the crux of the issue. Taking the Daily Mail’s version of the Miss Hitler pageant story as the model (for it is an outlet that has one of the highest circulations in the land, and an immense online audience), a picture purported to be that of Cutter was one amongst five others – that mostly showed the Scottish winner – attached to that article and it was captioned: “There were several other entries to the beauty contest, including this one, which shows a girl with a scarf covering her face”. Quite clearly, this image allegedly showing Cutter was only other evidence with which to condemn, and definitely not the main matter of concern or interest; therefore, describing it as being splashed across the press would be an exaggeration intended to elevate her contribution to an event that is being vilified.

All in all, it would be a matter of great concern if the defence in any court case, by not objecting to it, tacitly approved of any fiction being presented as fact by the prosecution. Moreover, for any legal team representing a defendant to actively assist an incriminating fiction in the manner of its own questioning would surely be something approaching a mistrial even before any jury was not able to reach a decision.

Much was made in the coverage of Cutter’s trial by the fact that she had entered the Miss Hitler pageant under the name “Buchenwald Princess”. Interestingly, at the time of the pageant itself, it was only the Star, of all the above mentioned publications, that made any reference to it:

Brunette BuchenwaldPrincess, who is pictured wearing a face mask bearing NA’s Nazi-like insignia, writes: “I’ve gone from hanging around with humourless libtards to meeting intelligent young people who wear all black just like me, I see no sacrifice here!”

At the trial, this appellation for anonymity was linked to a “flash-mob” photo stunt pulled off by defendant Mark Jones and Alex Davies, an individual who has much notoriety in matters relating to National Action, being a so-called founder; although he has never been brought to trial for membership since the group was proscribed. Jones and Davies went to a monument where there had been German ill usage of civilians as slave labour during World War II, and they cartoonishly threw up Roman salutes. Buchenwald was this place, and the Star, while it was the only outlet to mention the associated nickname used for the Miss Hitler pageant, did not mention this stunt. Conversely, the Mail, which did not make the connection in its version, reported:

Only last month its campaigners sparked outrage after images emerged of them performing Hitler salutes in the ‘execution room’ of Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.

The reader will no doubt remember that by June 27th – 30th, when the Miss Hitler pageant was receiving coverage in what might, for the most part, be called the gutter press, only a matter of days had passed since the false flag attack in Batley. Moreover, the reporting indicates that National Action launched its competition in May of 2016 – which was when Jones and Davies were sieg-heiling at Buchenwald’s “execution room”. There is no sign that such a competition was held before, so it was an innovation for 2016. Even the prosecution said that “it was, perhaps, no coincidence” [from the Metro, linke below].

Of course, as has been covered aplenty at FBEL, the “murder” of “Jo Cox” was an incident immediately linked with the “far-right” in what was an operation to attempt to prevent Brexit, and then after Britain couldn’t be influenced and voted to leave the EU, what became a key feature in a much broader scheme (that still continues) to vilify the notion of Brexit as an act by violent racist extremists. Indeed, the Star coverage of the Miss Hitler pageant actually made reference to this wider activity that was intended to malign:

It comes after far-right demonstrators took to the streets over the weekend to call for the repatriation of all immigrants following Britain’s vote to leave the EU.

Dozens of protesters amassed in Newcastle City centre where they were met by crowds of opposing groups defending refugees chanting “refugees welcome” and “Nazis out”.

The rally was organised by the English Defence League, North West Infidels and National Front members as scenes of hate and racism continue to erupt across the UK following Brexit.

If the reader detects a whiff of deliberate engineering, there might be more evidence for it emanating from the testimony of Alice Cutter at her trial: for it turns out that it was none other than Alex Deakin who introduced her to the existence of National Action. The regular reader of FBEL will know about Alex Deakin, so at this stage there is no need to do anything else but absorb the additional evidence that is here being discovered. It was Deakin, according to the prosecution’s evidence, who engaged Cutter in online discussion about Jews – discussion that would inevitably incriminate her (although it has to be said, one piece of material used to imply Cutter wished harm to the same people appears to have been generated in messaging between her and Jones). However, the key element in any of this interaction is how, according to Cutter, it was Deakin, along with Ashley Bell [or “Tommy Johnson”, another so-called co-founder of National Action], who “very persistently” urged – or “pestered”, as the corporate-media has styled it – her to enter the Miss Hitler pageant [with the nickname being thought up by Ben Raymond – yet another so-called co-founder]. She claims she participated because of what can be characterised as peer pressure: “I’d just made some new friends and I thought they might be different to people I’d experienced in the past… I didn’t want to cock it up so early by not doing that.” Presumably “that” refers to entrance into the competition.

As the reader can see, Alice Cutter was very much the focal point of this particular attempt to publicise National Action and “far-rightism” by prosecuting it – and is there any wonder, given a long-established understanding that glamour is good for advertising. On the other hand, Daniel Ward went completely missing from corporate-media coverage, and it is not because he pleaded guilty at the outset of the trial – not least because he probably didn’t do that after all. On the other hand, maybe there was acute embarrassment about Daniel Ward because of how at one time he had been in the British Army.

As referred to at the top of this, Ward was listed with the others as having appeared at the Old Bailey – as evidenced by a BBC article of 12th October, 2018. Come 28th January, 2019, at the plea-entering hearing there is no news. The BBC coverage does not mention him. Indeed, there is no news of Ward at all (that the author can find) until his sentencing, where, from the Independent, there is what is perhaps some misleading information: “Ward, of Bartley Green, Birmingham, admitted belonging to the proscribed group on 28 January.” If we infer that Ward pleaded guilty, then quite bizarrely, there appears to be an account in the Birmingham Mail of a trial where a prosecution and defence argued about Ward’s guilt.

In December 2016 Ward left National Action after becoming frustrated at what he perceived as a lack of action saying he “needed to fight for my people.”

Naomi Parsons, prosecuting, said however that four months later Ward “came back to the National Action fold” saying he had felt at a loose end.

He then was a “vocal member” in chat groups in which he talked about recruitment, issues of security and training…

The defendant was not arrested until September 5 last year and when police searched his home they found evidence of his extreme right wing views as well as recovering an air pistol and ball bearing firing one and two air rifles…

Thomas Schofield, defending, said Ward had only been involved for a short period of time and at the time he was isolated and looking for the membership of a group.

“What he was doing was talking and not acting,” he said.

There is more, from the very Independent piece mentioned above:

Prosecutor Barnaby Jameson QC read aloud Ward’s initial email to National Action, which read: ”We are at war and it’s time for me to fight for my children’s future and the future of our people.

“… All I have to offer is my thirst for gratuitous violence!”

This is so bizarre, that it boggles the mind. Even the West Midlands police in its official statement wants to give the impression that Ward pleaded guilty and didn’t have a trial:

A Birmingham man has been jailed today (Friday 19 July) after admitting being a member of the banned extreme right wing neo-Nazi group Nation Action.

However, Ward must have pleaded not-guilty after all – otherwise some learned and very expensive ladies and gentlemen put on a completely unnecessary show to create newsprint. It appears that while Ward might have admitted membership of National Action, it was not a guilty plea, but instead an indication that his membership existed before the proscription of the group.

As for the logistics of a trial that was never mentioned in corporate-media, could it have been separate from the other four suspects? We note that Barnaby Jameson QC is the same fellow who prosecuted Cutter et al, so it suggests that Ward should have been tried at the same time as the others. And yet there is no news that the author could find about a jury reaching a verdict about Ward. There is no news prior to the sentencing that Ward had stood trial.

The answer to this information black-out is possibly that Ward did stand trial with the others, but he was too incriminating to mention due to the fact that he had, according to the prosecutors, “briefly served in the Army in 2007”. The following is from the local coverage linked to immediately above:

Miss Parsons [for the prosecution] said Ward had made three attempts to join the army, had been successful once but had dropped out.

Of course, this representation makes it appear that Ward shouldn’t really be considered as a British Army soldier, but the author is confused about how the British Army allows anything as casual as a drop out. Granted, if Ward is indeed 28-years-old now, that would make him a recruit at 16 so there might have been scope for doing this. However, we should note that no detail is given of his career since then (that he has been omitted from corporate-media reporting might be a contributing factor), and also that he was presented by Miss Parsons as being an advocate of “setting up of a training camp under the guise of a fitness group so that he could ‘build an SS and prepare for a race war.’” Such things would need military experience, no doubt. Would a drop-out at 16 be capable, or the least bit interested a decade later?

 

† Additionally, in the same article quoted above, the Daily Mail published the image purported to be Cutter, with the caption

The court previously heard Cutter (in an image alleged to show Miss Hitler competition) won the 2016 Miss Hitler contest. It was organised to raise the profile of National Action

Headline from the Metro: ‘Neo-Nazi won Miss Hitler title to attract recruits’

And in the body:

A NEO-NAZI gang member took part in a Miss Hitler beauty contest in a bid to attract new supporters, a court heard.

Alice Cutter won the pageant organised by far-right group National Action, it is alleged — naming herself ‘Buchenwald Princess’ after the death camp.

From the Guardian:

Alice Cutter, 22, allegedly won National Action competition under alias ‘Buchenwald Princess’

A woman accused of membership of the banned neo-Nazi terror group National Action entered a “Miss Hitler” beauty contest in a bid to recruit female members, a court has heard.

Alice Cutter, 22, is alleged to have won the National Action competition using the nickname “Buchenwald Princess”, in reference to the Nazi death camp.

Headline from the Yorkshire Post: Neo-Nazi terror suspect from Yorkshire won Miss Hitler beauty contest, court told

And in the body:

A neo-Nazi terror suspect entered a “Miss Hitler” beauty contest in a bid to attract new members to a far-right extremist group, a court has heard.

Alice Cutter is alleged to have won the competition organised by National Action after taking on the nickname Buchenwald Princess in reference to the Nazi death camp.

From the Metro:

A Neo-Nazi nicknamed herself ‘Buchenwald Princess’ to enter a far-right beauty contest, court heard.

Alice Cutter, 22, allegedly won the ‘Miss Hitler’ competition after telling judges: ‘We need to step up, be the lionesses we ought to be and rip apart the hyenas laughing at us as we get raped, beaten, brainwashed and de-feminised en masse.’

From The Sun:

Woman calling herself Buchenwald Princess won beauty contest organised by neo-Nazi group to recruit members, court hears…

Alice Cutter, 22, went on to win the competition organised by National Action after taking on the nickname Buchenwald Princess in a nod to the Nazi death camp.

 

‡ [Update, 2nd December, 2019:] Since this article was published, a reader with what appears to be more immediate knowledge of the case has been in touch to claim that Ward, along with everyone else, pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey, only to change his plea when the trial was moved to Birmingham.

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