Boy who downloaded TikTok terror video spared jail

A teenager from Nottinghamshire who downloaded a TikTok video on preparing explosives and daubed racist graffiti on a woman's fence has been spared jail.

The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, was given a three-year youth rehabilitation order at Nottingham Justice Centre on Friday.

Judge Paul Goldspring told him: "I'm placing some trust in you - please repay it by staying out of trouble and doing as you are asked."

He had pleaded guilty in July to recording information useful to persons engaged in terrorism, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, and possessing an offensive weapon, after a knuckle duster was found at his mother's home.

The youth court sentencing hearing was told the boy was arrested early this year and a video, which had been downloaded from TikTok, was found on his phone.

It discussed an ingredient that could be mixed with other materials to create an explosive substance.

Prosecution counsel Alex du Sautoy said no items or chemicals were found when his home was searched.

The court also heard the boy, who was 13 at the time of the offences, had used black spray paint to graffiti a swastika, a racial slur and a reference to Christchurch terror attacker Brenton Tarrant, on a garden fence in 2025.

In a victim impact statement, the victim said as a "woman of colour" who lived alone it "felt like a personal attack" and had left her "shocked, scared and in floods of tears".

Judge Goldspring said the graffiti was "frankly disgusting" but he believed the boy was influenced by others and did things to fit in, rather than having a fixed belief system.

He said: "Often, the term terrorism carries with it more than the actual offending really deserves."

He added: "The offences are serious, they involve terrorist-related material, criminal damage and possession of a knuckle duster, but I am sentencing a child.

"I'm giving you this opportunity because I believe it gives you the chance to build a safe and law-abiding future.

"I'm placing some trust in you – please repay it by staying out of trouble and doing as you are asked."

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