Former Glasgow security guard who exchanged antisemitic messages in far-right group jailed for nearly three years  

A former security guard who exchanged antisemitic messages with an online far-right group and shared an instructional video on how to build a replica submachine gun was jailed for nearly three years yesterday.

James Farrell, 32 from Priesthill in Glasgow, admitted to posting the video to the “Oaken Hearth” Telegram channel, in which he also professed an admiration for the Norwegian neo-Nazi murderer, Anders Breivik.

Antisemitic propaganda in support of Adolf Hitler was also said to have been shared, and at one point, Mr Farrell is alleged to have said: “It’s about time someone firebombed a synagogue.”

Mr Farrell joined the Telegram group in March 2021 and, after the group was infiltrated by an undercover police officer, was arrested in October of that year. 

Mr Farrell admitted in Glasgow’s High Court of Justiciary to sharing a video clip featuring instructions on how to build a 3D-printed replica MAC-11 firearm, which he had previously described as an “edgy, cool video”, and pleaded guilty to a breach of the 2006 Terrorism Act.

Sentencing him to two years and eight months in prison, Lord Clark said: “As the criminal justice social work report states, you continue to adhere to your far-right wing views. You have expressed no remorse.”

Lord Clark added that Mr Farrell, who shared the video under the online moniker “Jabz”, “made the video directly available to extremists and potential terrorists and encouraged or induced or assisted them.”

Last year, four members of the Oaken Hearth channel were convicted under anti-terrorism and firearms legislation and sentenced to a total of 31 years.

Image credit: Police Scotland