Right-wing terrorist found guilty of the murder of Jo Cox

Thomas Mair has been found guilty of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, whom he killed while shouting "Britain First".

A jury at the Old Bailey took just over 90 minutes to convict Mair, 53, of murder, grievous bodily harm to a passer-by whom he stabbed, and possession of the gun and dagger involved in the attack.

He murdered mother of two and Remain campaigner MrsCox, 41, as she arrived for a constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire, a week before the EU referendum.

The white supremacist, who gave no evidence in his defence, shouted "Britain first" as he fired three shots at his MP and stabbed her 15 times.

He gave no reaction as he was convicted on all counts.

The MP's family sat in silence in the packed courtroom as the verdicts were delivered.

Mrs Cox's constituency caseworker Sandra Major described the MP's actions during the attack:

He was making motions towards us with the knife and Jo was lying in the road and she shouted out 'get away, get away you two. Let him hurt me. Don't let him hurt you'.

Two days after the killing, Mair was brought before Westminster magistrates under the terrorism protocol.

When asked to confirm his name, the defendant, described by neighbours as a shy loner, said:

Death to traitors, freedom for Britain.

He has refused to answer to the charges against him and not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf to murder, grievous bodily harm to passer-by Mr Bernard Kenny, 78, who intervened to defend Mrs Cox, and possession of the gun and dagger.

The Guardian reported that after the verdicts, Sue Hemming, head of special crime and counter terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service said:

Mair has offered no explanation for his actions but the prosecution was able to demonstrate that, motivated by hate, his pre-meditated crimes were nothing less than acts of terrorism designed to advance his twisted ideology.

Following the verdicts, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC, told the court that Mair had committed a terrorism offence, but it had not been necessary to prosecute him as a terrorist.

Having opted not to give evidence in the trial or put forward any positive defence, he was found guilty on all the charges.

Additional reporting Press Association

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