Former Norwich soldier jailed for terrorism materials, Nazi items, and indecent images of children

A 26-year-old ex-soldier, Serj Forster, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found with disturbing items at his home in Norwich. In May last year, police arrested Forster and discovered a trove of concerning possessions, including documents related to terrorism, Nazi memorabilia, and indecent images of children. Forster was convicted of amassing materials related to terrorism, which included publications such as the Advanced Anarchist Arsenal and the US Army Improvised Munitions Handbook. Additionally, a substantial number of indecent images were uncovered during the investigation. Forster admitted to a third charge of possessing a manual containing instructions for crafting a sheet-metal gun at home but was acquitted of a fourth charge. During his trial, which concluded in February, it was revealed that Forster, residing on Cardiff Road, held a deep fascination with extreme right-wing ideologies. Upon delivering the sentence at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Judge Richard Marks referenced an incident where Forster was seen making a Nazi salute in London, with a Black Lives Matter slogan in the background. However, the judge acknowledged that Forster had not participated in marches, demonstrations, political meetings, or joined any political organizations. Forster had a separate trial where he faced three charges related to producing indecent images of children. The trial uncovered a significant number of both still and moving images, including 262 classified as Category A, the most severe category. Despite claims from Forster’s defense counsel, John Lyons, that his phone had been hacked, he was found guilty. Judge Marks noted that the images featured children as young as three years old and displayed clear signs of distress. Among the other items discovered at Forster’s residence were Nazi memorabilia, National Front stickers, knives, and imitation firearms. The court learned that during his school days, Forster was referred to the government’s Prevent program due to his “neo-Nazi” views, but he failed to engage with the scheme, designed to divert individuals away from extremist ideologies. At the age of 13, Forster became associated with the now-banned terrorist organization National Action, leading to his expulsion from college in May 2013 due to his extremist beliefs. He commenced basic Army training in 2017 but was discharged after his far-right comments on Twitter, known as X, came to light. Prosecutor Ben Lloyd stated that Forster had previously described himself as “obsessed” with right-wing culture and admitted to his involvement with the far right dating back to his early teenage years.