The alleged right-wing extremist accused of murdering Jo Cox kept newspaper articles referencing the MP’s support for the European Union and a “Third Reich eagle with a swastika”, a court has heard.
Thomas Mair, 53, is also alleged to have kept German military history books, Nazi memorabilia and news cuttings surrounding Norwegian murderer Anders Breivik in his home.
The gardener is charged with, but denies, murdering the Labour MP outside her Batley and Spen constituency library in West Yorkshire, just one week before the Brexit referendum vote.
The 41-year-old mother-of-two suffered 15 stab wounds and three gunshot injuries.
As the second week of Mr Mair’s trial began, Old Bailey jurors were o shown a series of photographs showing items found inside his council house after his arrest.
PC Nicholas Russell, who was the first officer through his door just after 2pm on 16 June, said he heard a colleague shout “look at this” and was rushed over to a small bookshelf beside a single bed.
“I saw on a few of the shelves the subject matter was of German military history,” he said in a statement read to the court.
“On top of the bookcase was a small gold-coloured ornament of a Third Reich eagle with a swastika on it.”
The books, the jury heard, included ‘March of the Titans: A history of the white race’, ‘The German Home Front 1939-45’ and ‘The politics of the Holocaust’.
He also allegedly had newspaper articles about Mrs Cox, a printout biography from her website and a quote from her that read: “I believe the patriotic choice is to vote for Britain to remain inside the EU.”
Neighbour Katie Green, who lived near ‘Tommy’ for 13 years, also told jurors on Monday: “[He was] very quiet, very shy and I didn’t see any visitors.”
Mr Mair, of Lowood Lane, Field Head Estate, Birstall, denies murder, inflicting GBH with intent, possession of a firearm and possession of a dagger.
The Leeds Crown Court trial has previously heard how Mrs Cox told aides to “let him hurt me” and that Mr Mair shouted “Britain First” before shooting her.
The trial continues.
