UK couple who named baby after Hitler found guilty of membership of banned Neo-Nazi group

A couple accused of being in a banned British Neo-Nazi group named their baby after Hitler, a court has heard.

A couple who gave their son the middle name Adolf in honour of Hitler have been convicted of being members of a British neo-Nazi terrorist group.

A couple who gave their son the middle name Adolf in honour of Hitler will serve several years in jail. Source: Supplied

A couple who gave their son the middle name Adolf in honour of Hitler have been convicted of being members of a British neo-Nazi terrorist group.

Adam Thomas, 22, and Portuguese-born partner Claudia Patatas, 38, from Banbury in south England, were charged along with Daniel Bogunovic, 27, from Leicester in central England with being members of banned group National Action (NA).
Adam Thomas and his partner Claudia Patatas with their new born baby in front of a Nazi flag. The couple named their child after Adolf Hitler.
Adam Thomas and his partner Claudia Patatas with their new born baby in front of a Nazi flag. The couple named their child after Adolf Hitler. Source: Supplied
Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court in central England reached a unanimous verdict after being shown photographs during the four-week trial of Thomas wearing Ku Klux Klan robes while holding his baby.
Thomas claimed the photographs were "just play" but also told the court he was a racist.

He was also found guilty of having a terrorist manual on his laptop that gave advice on homemade explosives including a "soft drink can bomb".

Prosecutors said Thomas had a "fanatical and tribal belief in white supremacy".
Adam Thomas, 22, who has been convicted at Birmingham Crown Court of membership of neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action, which was banned in 2016.
Adam Thomas, 22, who has been convicted at Birmingham Crown Court of membership of neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action, which was banned in 2016. Source: Supplied
The neo-Nazi group was founded in 2013 and outlawed three years later after it celebrated the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by a Nazi sympathiser in northern England.

One of its leading members was on Monday revealed to have been British army Afghan battle veteran Mikko Vehvilainen, 34.

The soldier was convicted in March of being a member of NA and jailed for eight years, but reporting restrictions had been in place.
Thomas posing with his new-born baby, whilst wearing the hooded white robes of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Thomas posing with his new-born baby, whilst wearing the hooded white robes of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Source: Supplied
Judge Melbourne Inman said Vehvilainen had a "long and deep-seated adherence" to racist ideology, while prosecutors said he had worked as an NA "recruiter" within the army.

Intercepted Skype messages showed that Thomas rejected attempts by leaders to disband the group.

"The Midlands branch of NA, which is just 17-20 of us, have decided to ignore this and we've renamed ourselves the Thule Combat League," he wrote.

"After National Action was banned it went underground and changed its name but it did not disappear," said prosecutor Deb Walsh.
Convicted neo-Nazi 38-year old Claudia Patatas, leaving Birmingham Crown Court on Monday.
Convicted neo-Nazi 38-year old Claudia Patatas, leaving Birmingham Crown Court on Monday. Source: EPA
"These members continued to believe in its racist neo-Nazi worldview, remained in contact on encrypted messaging apps, and organised meetings to keep the group going."
Three other men - Darren Fletcher, 28, Nathan Pryke, 27, and Joel Wilmore, 24 - pleaded guilty to being members of the banned organisation before the trial began.

All six will be sentenced on December 14.


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2 min read
Published 13 November 2018 9:55am
Updated 13 November 2018 11:14am


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