A rookie Met Police officer from north London has been found guilty of belonging to the banned neo-Nazi group National Action.
 
PC Benjamin Hannam, 22, who is suspended from duty,  is scheduled to be sentenced on 23 April. 
 
National Action was proscribed in 2016. Being a member of, or promoting, the group established in 2013 is a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years behind bars. 
 
Hannam was also found guilty of two counts of fraud by false representation and another two counts of possession of documents likely to be of use to a terrorist.
 
He was arrested in March 2020 after counterintelligence detectives investigated potential UK links to the now-dissolved neo-Nazi forum Iron March.
 
Analysis of his home computer confirmed Hannam had accessed the forum and several other web pages linked to National Action, Scotland Yard said. 
 
A USB memory stick seized at his home was found to contain several files related to the group, the force added.
 
The Old Bailey heard that he attended several National Action events until 2017, including a meeting at a Paddington pub in 2016.
 
Hannam did not disclose any links to extreme right-wing groups on his application and vetting forms to join the Met Police, the force said. 
 
The police added that all-known involvement with National Action ended by September 2017 before he began his police training the following year.

“The public expect police officers to carry out their duties with the very highest levels of honesty and integrity," said Met Police counter-terrorism Commander Richard Smith.

"Sadly, PC Hannam showed none of these qualities, firstly by joining and engaging with a far-right proscribed organisation, and then when he lied about his past links to this group when applying to become a police officer."

He added: “PC Hannam was a young man when he was radicalised and seduced online by this toxic ideology. Now, more than ever we need friends and family to look out for those who might be vulnerable to radicalisation and if you have concerns, then please, ACT Early and contact us in confidence, as we can help before it is too late.”
 
Hannam will be considered for a misconduct hearing by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.