A 22-year-old man from Barmouth, Gwynedd, has been charged with terrorism offences following allegations that he possessed an IRA manual and other extremist materials on his mobile device. Jac Glyn Edwards appeared before the Old Bailey on Friday facing four counts of possessing records containing information useful to terrorism, plus a separate charge relating to the acquisition of a firearm.
Prosecutors allege that Edwards was in possession of four documents deemed likely to be useful to someone committing or preparing a terrorist act. According to Christopher Amis, the prosecutor who presented the case at a preliminary hearing on Friday, the material in question included an IRA manual and a manual concerning urban guerrilla warfare tactics.
In addition to the document-related charges, Edwards stands accused of purchasing or acquiring a blank-firing pistol during June 2024. The nature and circumstances of this acquisition form a separate element of the prosecution's case against him.
What happens next?
The case has been transferred to Liverpool Crown Court, where proceedings will continue. Edwards was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 6 November for a plea and trial preparation hearing. A preliminary trial date has been provisionally set for October 2027.
This case reflects an ongoing pattern of prosecutions related to extremist materials and weapons. A 16-year-old previously appeared in court charged with possessing bomb-making materials purchased online, while an ex-soldier was jailed for three years for possessing explosives and a firearm linked to a paramilitary organisation.
