Far-right terrorist sentenced to life over plot to kill Labour MP Rosie Cooper
2 min read
A far-right terrorist who plotted to kill Labour MP Rosie Cooper has been jailed for at least 20 years.
Jack Renshaw, 23, bought a 19-inch knife with the intention of murdering the West Lancashire MP and getting revenge on a female police officer investigating him for child sex offences.
But his deadly plan was scuppered by whistleblower Robbie Mullen, who was at a meeting in a pub when Renshaw announced his intentions in July 2017.
At the Old Bailey, Renshaw, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, admitted making preparations to kill Ms Cooper and making a threat to kill police officer Victoria Henderson.
Passing a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years, Mrs Justice McGowan said: "Your perverted view of history and current politics has caused you to believe it right to demonise groups simply because they are different from you."
She added: "This is a case in which only a sentence of life imprisonment can meet the appalling seriousness of your offending."
In a statement Ms Cooper said: "My deepest wish is that this case is the last occasion when any public servant, any politician, has their life threatened for simply doing their job.
"I believe today justice has been served. Not for me personally, but for every MP and public servant, and for our democratic way of life which affords us the privilege of free speech, without fear of violent retribution."
Renshaw announced his plan to kill the MP at the Friar Penketh pub in Warrington at a meeting with the leader of banned extreme right-wing group National Action, Christopher Lythgoe, at which Mr Mullen was present.
Mr Mullen, from Widnes, Cheshire, shared details of the plot with campaign group Hope Not Hate.
In a statement after the sentencing, Mr Mullen said: "The last two years have been horrendous, stressful and very, very hard but I wouldn't change a single thing I did.
"When I realised that National Action needed to be stopped, I knew that I couldn't just walk away from it. That wasn't the done thing, and anyway I knew that I could do something to ensure they couldn't carry out the violent attacks they wanted to."
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