Three neo-Nazis who stockpiled a massive weapons arsenal and plotted terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues across England were sentenced Friday to a combined 29 years in prison, after a judge warned their extremist ideology remained dangerous.
Brogan Stewart, 25, was sentenced to 11 years in prison; Christopher Ringrose, 34, to 10 years; and Marco Pitzettu, 25, to eight years at Sheffield Crown Court. The trio, described by prosecutors as “dangerous extremists preparing for a race war,” had amassed more than 200 weapons—including crossbows, machetes, swords, axes, hunting knives, and body armor—along with 3D-printed firearm components.
Investigators discovered an almost completed FGC-9 Mk II assault rifle in Ringrose’s loft. The gun was missing only its barrel and firing pin. Prosecutors said the men were actively sourcing those components, warning the weapon “could have been used to devastating consequences” if finished.
Extremist cell infiltrated
The court heard that Stewart, Ringrose, and Pitzettu bonded online over “prepping” culture and survivalist YouTube videos but soon formed a private neo-Nazi chat group called “Einsatz 14,” where they planned violent actions. They recruited like-minded extremists, discussed uniforms, and identified mosques and synagogues as potential targets.
An undercover counterterrorism officer infiltrated their encrypted Telegram group on Jan. 5 last year. In one message, Stewart expressed frustration with far-right groups that “just sit around and talk,” saying he wanted to form his own group “because action speaks louder than words.”
Stewart, from Tingley, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, appointed himself as the leader and named Ringrose, of Cannock, Staffordshire, and Pitzettu, of Mickleover, Derbyshire, as “armourers.” On Feb. 5, the group discussed plans to “cruise around” near an Islamic education center looking for “human targets,” then regroup afterward for “tea and medals.”
They planned to meet in person for the first time on Feb. 18 to “cement that brotherhood,” but before the gathering could occur, police raided multiple properties on Feb. 20 and arrested them.
Convictions and sentencing
In May, all three men were convicted of preparing acts of terrorism and possessing information useful for terrorism. The jury rejected defense claims that they were merely fantasizing online.
Ringrose was also found guilty of manufacturing a prohibited firearm component, while Pitzettu pleaded guilty to possessing a stun gun. Evidence presented in court included a 374-page dossier of their internet activity, which prosecutors said “laid bare” their extremist worldview, glorifying Hitler, white supremacy, and race war.
Judge Mrs. Justice Cutts, sentencing the men, said she believed they continued to hold “extreme right-wing ideology” and posed a danger upon release. Although she concluded an attack was not imminent, she ruled one was “likely in the not too distant future” if they had not been stopped.
“This was a group motivated by hatred toward Muslims, Jews, Black people and immigrants,” the judge said. “Their ideology was laid bare in their communications—an admiration of Hitler and mass killers, and a clear belief that a race war was inevitable.”
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