Father jailed for encouraging terrorism and extremist posts

Ivan Jennings, a 46-year-old father of four from Stafford, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for encouraging terrorism and disseminating extremist material. The sentence, handed down at Leicester Crown Court on September 16, 2026, includes an additional five years on extended licence. Jennings pleaded guilty to encouraging terrorism through online chats between August 15 and November 14, 2024, and to disseminating a terrorist publication, specifically a manifesto by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, on August 21, 2024. The court heard that he was an active participant in at least seven extreme right-wing Telegram groups and joined the far-right organisation Patriotic Alternative in early 2024. Prosecutors detailed that Jennings made numerous posts calling for violence against migrants, Jews, and Muslims. He referred to migrants crossing the Channel as "subhumans" and stated that killing hundreds would be justified. In one chat, he discussed putting poisonous mushrooms in the food of Jews and Muslims. He also identified a UK-based event celebrating Pakistan's Independence Day as a target, writing, "We need to start acting.