The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of a teenager accused of plotting a terrorism offence in an attempt to start a race war.

Luke Skelton is accused of researching bombmaking techniques before carrying out a ‘hostile reconnaissance’ of a Newcastle police station.

Jurors heard how the information the Washington teenager downloaded was all readily available online when he started giving evidence during his trial at Teesside Crown Court.

The 19-year-old came to the attention of authorities when he published a large number of far-right videos and messages across his social media accounts.

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Earlier in the trial, explosives expert Lisa Dunn, who is based at the Ministry of Defence’s site at Porton Down, told jurors that the accused had gathered enough information to create a ‘viable’ explosive.

Nicholas De La Poer KC, prosecuting, confirmed to the jury that none of the ingredients required to make any of the explosive devices were recovered from Skelton’s home in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

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The teenager told the jury that he had no intention of making a bomb or targeting the police station and was just posting the content to get attention and cause upset.

Skelton, of Oxclose, Washington, denies a charge of preparing to commit acts of terrorism.

The trial continues.