A law on extreme pornography could be used as the model for a new terrorism offence called for after the first London Bridge attack, a Government watchdog said today.
Jonathan Hall QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said the law outlawing the possession of porn which depicts a threat to life or serious injury could be adapted to create a new crime of possessing terrorist material.
His suggestion follows a call by the chief coroner Mark Lucraft QC at the inquests into the London Bridge attack of June 2017, in which eight people were killed, for ministers to consider a new law banning the possession of material which glorifies or encourages terrorism.
The attack ringleader, Khuram Butt, had a large quantity of such material on his phone.
Police told the inquest, however, that it did not amount to an offence under existing laws.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that she is considering action in response and Mr Hall today told the Standard that the extreme porn legislation could form a useful precedent in creating the new law.
