The opening of a trial in Kingston Crown Court today painted a deeply unsettling picture of 19-year-old Rex Clark, an east London teenager accused of immersing himself in neo-Nazi ideology and planning dangerous acts inspired by it.
Prosecutors say he admired Adolf Hitler to the point of seeing him as a “Jesus-type messiah figure,” and openly spoke about murdering Black people and Muslims.
The Allegations Behind the Prosecution
According to the prosecution, the teenager tried to buy a Glock pistol online and fiddled with parts of homemade explosives in his bedroom.
Louis Mably KC, outlining the case to the jury, said Clark was still just 17 and 18 during the period when these alleged offences took place.
Investigators believe he also shared extremist propaganda that celebrated well-known far-right terrorists, including Anders Breivik, Brenton Tarrant, and Stephan Balliet.
A Disturbing Dynamic With His Girlfriend
Jurors were told that Clark often discussed these violent ideas with his girlfriend, Sofija Vinogradova, then 18 to 19 years old, who appeared to share many of his views.
Their conversations, Mr. Mably suggested, didn’t calm things down—they pushed each other further.
The prosecutor said their chats showed “a keen interest in extreme violence,” at times expressed bluntly and without hesitation.
Messages That Raised Alarms
The court heard excerpts of Clark’s messages to Vinogradova, including statements that he “just want[ed] to kill Muslims and blacks.”
In another message, he allegedly compared Adolf Hitler to a religious saviour.
One message claimed Nazi Germany would have “colonised the universe” had it survived.
These were not isolated remarks, the prosecution said, but part of a pattern that revealed his mindset at the time.
What Police Found in His Bedroom
A search of Clark’s home in Ilford uncovered what looked like the beginnings of improvised explosive devices.
Although the pieces weren’t able to detonate—there was no explosive material attached—prosecutors say it was clear he had been experimenting with homemade bomb components.
The items were, they argued, evidence of intent rather than curiosity.
Online Footprints of Extremism
Parts of the prosecution’s case focus on videos Clark allegedly uploaded or shared online.
Some were posted on Vidlii while others circulated in a Telegram group chat.
Among the clips played in court was a racist music video with an explicit title containing a racial slur.
Another clip was an edited montage glorifying Breivik, the Norwegian extremist who murdered 77 people in 2011.
A further video reportedly featured a “Night Core” edit celebrating Tarrant, Balliet, and Breivik—three figures responsible for massacres in New Zealand, Germany, and Norway.
Where the Law Draws the Line
Mr. Mably stressed to jurors that while people are legally free to hold hateful beliefs or watch unpleasant content, the law becomes uncompromising when someone spreads extremist material that encourages or glorifies terrorism. He said Clark crossed that line by distributing content intended—directly or indirectly—to embolden others.
Attempts to Acquire a Gun
The court also heard that Clark and Vinogradova attempted to buy a handgun online but never received it.
Prosecutors believe they may have been scammed by the seller.
Their motivations, they said, weren’t identical: Vinogradova reportedly contemplated using the gun to harm herself, whereas Clark appeared eager simply to obtain and fire a weapon.
Guilty Plea From the Girlfriend
Vinogradova, now 20, has already pleaded guilty to the attempted purchase of a firearm.
Clark, however, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of attempting to buy a gun and six charges relating to the dissemination of terrorist publications between October 2023 and mid-2024.
The Trial Moves Forward
With opening statements now complete, the trial will continue as jurors examine evidence about Clark’s online posts, messages, and alleged attempts to obtain weapons.
Further testimony is expected in the coming days.
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