A Brighton man has been jailed for at least 16 years after admitting he was plotting a shooting at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park.

Edward Little, 22, pleaded guilty to preparing an act of terrorism in May at the Old Bailey in central London via video link from Belmarsh prison.

It was alleged he had planned to buy a gun and use it to kill a Christian preacher and her camera crew at the central London venue, as well as soldiers and police.

He had looked up different weapons and their capabilities and arranged to buy one for £5,000. He was on his way into London in a taxi with thousands of pounds in cash when he was stopped and arrested on 23 September, last year.

Today he was handed a life sentence in his absence, with a minimum term of 16 years behind bars, after he refused to attend court to hear his punishment.

Little had also refused to answer questions in his police interviews, but became violent when shown a YouTube image of the preacher he had been targeting.

He admitted assaulting one of the police officers at Newbury Police Station on 28 September last year and was sentenced to 40 weeks in prison – reduced to eight months on appeal.

At a previous hearing, a judge described his “absolutely shocking” criminal record.

Speaking after his sentencing, Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright told the PA news agency: “This is a very, very dangerous man who’s been stopped from carrying out a terrorist attack. I’m absolutely convinced of that – and lives have been saved as a result.

“Obviously, he had a target at Speakers’ Corner but anyone who got in his way, like a police officer or members of the public, could have been at risk.”

The court had previously heard that Little, from Pelham Street in Brighton, converted to Islam while 18 years old at Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution in Kent and at HMP Deerbolt in County Durham.

They also heard that Little downloaded extremist propaganda – including al-Qaida publication Inspire – last summer, and also noted that in encrypted conservations on the messaging app Threema, he said he wanted to get a submachine gun and an assault rifle.

Prosecutor Duncan Penny KC had said Little planned to kill the Christian preacher Hatun Tash at Speakers’ Corner, anyone with her, as well as police officers or soldiers in the area.

In conversations on Threema, Little called the preacher – who regularly debates the Qur’an in Hyde Park – an “evil witch” and said he could shoot her “point blank” and “everyone with her”.

In July 2021, Ms Tash was slashed across the face with a knife while preaching.

On 17 September last year, Little said he “100%” had a “brother in prison” who would join in with the plot.

He said a day later that Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral was a possible alternative target, but Little ruled it out as “unfortunately it’s too late”.

On 23 September, 2022, Little had £5,000 in cash and intended to buy a gun to carry out the planned attack on Ms Tash.

He paid a taxi driver £300 to take him from Brighton to Lewisham, but armed police arrested him upon arrival in south London.

‘Absolutely shocking’ criminal record

While being interviewed by police, Little declined to answer questions.

He became violent when shown videos of Ms Tash, launching himself from his chair across the table at an officer, swinging repeatedly with his fists before being restrained.

He later admitted assaulting the officer at Newbury Police Station on 28 September last year and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

Little had also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a fellow inmate at Belmarsh prison on 3 April.

He attacked the victim with boiling water mixed with sugar and two razor blades for “disrespecting” his religion.

Mrs Justice McGowan jailed Little for four years for that offence to run concurrently with his life sentence.

Little had been previously been convicted of 14 offences in seven separate cases.

His first conviction, for possessing a knife and wounding with intent, dated back to February 2017, when he was 15.

A month later, Little was received a three-and-a-half year sentence for supplying heroin and crack cocaine.

In April 2017, Little was convicted of robbery with knife a knife in which his victim was punched, kicked and threatened with a broken bottle and later that year with assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm for an incident in which his victim was stabbed repeatedly.

Two months later , he received a three-and-a-half year sentence for supplying controlled drugs.

In 2018, he was convicted of criminal damage and assaulting a police officer and in 2019, he was given a detention and training order for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Later the same year year, while in prison, he was convicted of possession of a bladed weapon.

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