Ethan Stables sentenced over gay pride attack plot Published duration 30 May 2018

image copyright Manchester Police image caption Ethan Stables expressed his hatred of gay people as well as Muslims and Jews

A white supremacist who planned to carry out an attack at a pub's gay pride night has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

Ethan Stables was arrested on a visit to the New Empire in his home town of Barrow, Cumbria, last summer.

Facebook posts on far-right pages revealed he was "going to war" and wanted to carry out a "slaughter".

Stables was found guilty of preparing an act of terrorism, threats to kill and possessing explosives.

Following his detention on June 23, officers discovered a machete, an axe and knives at his home.

He claimed he posted comments on Facebook to impress far-right friends and was "ashamed" as he was bisexual

media caption White supremacist Ethan Stables burned rainbow flag

A trial at Leeds Crown Court heard the then-20-year-old had researched firearms and looked into methods for making a bomb.

Jurors were told how Stables, who had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome prior to his arrest, promoted homophobic, racist and Nazi views online.

He communicated his hatred for Muslims and Jews on his phone, with one WhatsApp message reading: "My country is being raped.

"I might just become a skinhead and kill people."

image caption The trial was shown a photo of Stables posing in front of a Nazi flag

image copyright Google image caption New Empire landlady Lorraine Neale was "shaking with fear" when police told her of the plot

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, described Stables as "a risk to the public" and added he had caused "alarm and distress" by virtue of the plans he had made.

Following his conviction in February, his barrister Patrick Upward QC told the court Stables led a "melancholy life" up to the day of his arrest and lived in "almost squalid conditions".