A self-identified Nazi carried out a “disgraceful attack on decent hard-working people” at a law firm, a court has heard.
Cavan Medlock, 32, was given an indefinite hospital order at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday as a judge said he was “clearly a very dangerous man”.
Medlock was found to have committed the act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist acts at a fact-finding hearing at the same court on Tuesday, which was held after he was found not fit to stand trial.
The 32-year-old targeted solicitor Toufique Hossain at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow, north-west London, on September 7 2020, and was arrested at the scene with a rucksack containing a knife, handcuffs, gaffer tape and large Confederate and Nazi flags.
Medlock, of Harrow, was arrested after he took out the six-inch combat knife and demanded to see Mr Hossain.
Receptionist Ravindran Tharmalangam managed to disarm him despite being punched and kicked.
Other members of staff also intervened and Medlock was restrained while police were called to the scene.
While he was detained in reception, Medlock saw Mr Hossain and said he had come to the office to kill him.
Medlock was heard saying “unfortunately I didn’t finish the job”.
Judge Joel Bennathan KC said on Thursday that lawyers were not “immune from scrutiny or informed criticism” but had the right to be “able to work without fearing for their safety”.
He added that Medlock had carried out “a disgraceful attack on decent hard-working people doing important and honourable work” and was “clearly very unwell with a mental disorder”.
Handing down the hospital order, Judge Bennathan said the offences “were fundamentally driven by mental ill health”, adding that Medlock was “prepared to use violence”.
Cavan Medlock attacked a receptionist, a court heard (Met Police/PA)
The judge added: “He poses a very real danger to others and will do so for the foreseeable future.
“The defendant has deep-seated racist views about any group of people he regards as other than ‘pure’ and ‘white, British’.”
Judge Bennathan said: “I cannot be sure he had a settled intention to kill Toufique Hossain, but I am sure he might have done so in the course of threatening or restraining him, or if he simply lost his temper or grew frustrated at some stage of his scheme.”
Representing Medlock, who appeared at the sentencing via video link, Graham Arnold said it was “not an ordinary sentence” as Medlock had not been convicted as he was found unfit to plead.
Analysis of a phone seized from Medlock shows he had conducted research on the solicitor and read a Daily Mail newspaper article which named Mr Hossain as a lawyer who was assisting immigrants.
He had then researched the location of the law firm before planning his attack.
In police interviews which began on September 8 2020, Medlock denied intending to kill Mr Hossain, instead saying he wanted to take him hostage by threatening him with the knife and putting him in handcuffs.
Medlock told police he took the 5ft by 3ft Confederate battle flag, often associated with slavery, and the Nazi swastika of the same size to display as a “rallying call”.
He added that he wanted to “inspire other Nationalists” to “push back” against supporters of Black Lives Matter and “people who are tearing down our statues”.
In relation to the Nazi flag, Medlock told police: “And the Nazi flag – it’s just a rallying call to other Nationalists who are of that disposition.
Cavan Medlock had a Nazi flag (Met Police/PA)
“I would say I was a National Socialist, yeah, and I do believe Hitler should have won.”
Bethan David, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said Medlock’s “terrorist ideology was clear”.
She added: “By his own admission at the time of these events, he identified as a Nazi and believed his acts would rally others to his cause of right-wing extremism.
“His plan was designed to intimidate immigrants to the UK and their families, and involved the use, or at least the threat, of serious violence.
“It was only the brave actions of the receptionist at the law firm which prevented his plan from being carried out.”
The Law Society of England and Wales said the attack was “the first example of a worrying new trend” that led to “threatened attacks on 39 law firms and advice agencies” during riots over the summer.
Richard Atkinson, the society’s president, said: “Many lawyers have faced death threats and have had to seek police protection. Until recently, this was unheard of in our country.
“This trend did not emerge from nowhere. It was closely associated with a degraded debate led by senior parliamentarians and sections of the media, largely focused on the immigration and asylum system.
“Words have consequences, particularly when they come from people in positions of seniority and power. They can legitimise hate, encourage division, and have serious repercussions.”