Teenager Convicted of Encouraging Terrorism Online
A jury found a Borehamwood teenager created an online library of extreme right-wing material.
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From the archive. This story was written up on 29 July 2026 from reporting first published on 4 February 2026, which is the date shown above. We took up the back catalogue of the local titles we read when this site launched, so the events are older than the page.
A jury at the Old Bailey has found that Joseph Cope, a teenager from Borehamwood, created an online repository of extreme right-wing content. Cope, who was 16 and 17 at the time of the alleged offences, used social media platforms to encourage terrorism. He published posts and images on a Telegram channel named Serano’s Division and uploaded documents to another channel called the Great Library Of Thule.
Nature of the Material
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The material disseminated by Cope included documents detailing how to cause mass public disorder and inciting violence against racial groups. Prosecutor Dan Pawson-Pounds informed the jury that by linking to the Great Library Of Thule, Cope was providing a means for others to access these documents. Hundreds of similar documents, potentially useful for committing or preparing acts of terrorism, were discovered on Cope’s computer.
Arrest and Trial Proceedings
Cope was arrested at his home in Borehamwood in June 2022. During a search of his bedroom, police confiscated several extreme far-right books and a black snood associated with such ideologies. Cope was charged with multiple offences, including encouraging terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications. Although his mental health has reportedly deteriorated since the alleged offences, the jury found that he did commit the acts he was accused of after deliberating for just over an hour. A hearing is scheduled for 17 April to determine the appropriate supervision order for the case.
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Questions this report answers
+What did the teenager do to encourage terrorism?
Joseph Cope created an online library of extreme right-wing material and used social media to publish posts and documents encouraging terrorism. He ran a Telegram channel called Serano’s Division and uploaded violent content to another channel called the Great Library Of Thule.
+What kind of material did he share online?
Cope shared documents detailing how to cause mass public disorder and incite violence against racial groups. Police found hundreds of similar documents on his computer, which could be used to prepare or commit acts of terrorism.
+When was he arrested and what happened next?
Cope was arrested at his Borehamwood home in June 2022 after police found extreme far-right books and a black snood in his bedroom. A jury found him guilty after deliberating for just over an hour, and a hearing on 17 April will decide his supervision order.
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