Teenager who downloaded terrorist material is sentenced

A 17-year-old boy from Merseyside has been sentenced for possessing terrorist material.

The teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, called police on 6 August 2025 and explained that he was contemplating carrying out a terror attack.

Police officers then attended the address and found a bag which contained kitchen knives.

The prosecution acknowledged that his motivation for calling 999 in August 2025 may have been, in part, to alert the authorities to his desire to harm others, and to seek assistance for a significant deterioration of his mental health.

On 8 January 2026, he pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing a document or record for terrorist purposes after downloading handbooks and other documentation related to terrorism.

At Liverpool Crown Court today, he was sentenced to a three-year Youth Rehabilitation Order (YRO) and a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Read more: Crown Prosecution Service (UK)