Covid denier convicted of terror charge after pandemic uprising calls

Paul Martin denied the charges (PA) PA

A Covid denier has been convicted of encouraging terrorism after calling for a violent uprising during the pandemic using AK47 rifles, petrol bombs and rocket launchers. Paul Martin, 60, was found guilty at the Old Bailey following a trial, though he was cleared of weapons charges related to blades, crossbows and arrows found at his home.

Martin used the online handle Perpetual Truth to make 16,000 posts on a Telegram group called The Resistance UK between December 2020 and September 2021. The court heard he was "vehemently against the measures brought in by the then-government in response to the pandemic, including the lockdown and vaccine rollout."

Conspiracy theories and false claims

Martin claimed Covid was "the biggest hoax perpetuated on humanity on a global scale" and wrote that there was no pandemic. He alleged the main goal was to "genocide all they can and enslave the survivors and make the children sterile with poison."

The defendant linked Covid vaccines to 5G mobile phone technology, claiming the vaccine was "a poison designed to kill you off over a short period." He wrote that 5G "will be a trigger" and the second dose would be the "kill shot."

Calls for violence

In December 2020, Martin wrote: "It is a war you better get ready to smash skulls and destroy evil." He called for attacks on infrastructure, stating: "If small groups hit main shit all over the country they be running around like flies."

Martin also urged targeting "council offices, police station, road works" and to "take down rail" systems. To counter police infiltration, he developed a cover story that he was writing a book entitled "Two steps forward, one step back."

Trial and sentencing

During his defence, Martin claimed his posts were "pure fantasy", "gibberish" and "twaddle" and insisted he would never hurt anyone. He admitted he had not written a single chapter of his supposed book but said he was "contemplating putting it to paper."

A jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for seven hours and 20 minutes before finding Martin guilty by a majority of nine to one on Friday. Judge Richard Marks KC warned the defendant from Suffolk Road, Croydon, not to be under illusions that he faced anything other than an immediate jail sentence given the "seriousness" of the offence.

Martin's posts made up around four per cent of messages to the group's 8,000 members. Sentencing has been adjourned until December 18 while reports are prepared.

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).