Man convicted of a terrorism offense after sharing material on the Internet

*Issued on behalf of Counter Terrorism Policing South West*

A man from Norton Fitzwarren has been jailed after admitting sharing material online in support of Islamic State.

Yesterday (Monday 21 October) Ryan Scuffil was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court in London following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing South West (CTPSW).

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to an offense under Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 when he appeared before a judge in Westminster on Monday 20 May.

Scuffil was found to have used a social media profile under a false name to publish pro-Islamic State material, including statements glorifying acts of terrorism and graphic images, over an 11-month period from September 2022.

The warrant was issued in August 2023 at Scuffil’s home address with CTPSW officers and Avon and Somerset Police involved. Electronic devices were confiscated from his property and examined.

The court was told Scuffil had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to a previous guilty plea.

Scuffil was given a community care order for three years, which will include a rehabilitation requirement and commitment to the Prevent intervention program. He will also be required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

CTPSW Chief Detective Superintendent Sarah Robbins said: “We would like to assure people that during the course of the investigation there was no evidence that Scuffil was considering or planning any action that would directly threaten public safety.

“The items found on his devices clearly indicated his mindset and willingness to disseminate propaganda materials in support of the Islamic State, and he created a social media profile under a different name for this purpose.

“A dedicated team from across the CTPSW region worked alongside colleagues from Avon and Somerset Police to obtain all the evidence required for a conviction.

“Such crimes are rare, but when they do occur, we will thoroughly investigate the matter and strive to bring the perpetrator to justice.”

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