A man who had an “extreme anti-government mindset” and attacked police officers armed with an axe and a Molotov cocktail, had been referred to an anti-terror programme a year earlier, police have said.
Alexander Dighton, 28, attacked three officers on January 31 at Talbot Green police station in south Wales, stabbing one in the leg and punching another in the head.
He attempted to set fire to police cars and used a variety of weapons in the incident, including a knife, a hatchet and a pole with sharpened metal plates fixed to the end.
Senior police officers have now revealed that Dighton, who was described as a “lonely” individual, had been referred to the Prevent programme 12 months before he carried out the attack, following concerns about his views on immigration and Islam.
Despite the referral by his sister, it was decided that Dighton, who spent a lot of time online expressing far-right views and playing computer games, “did not meet the criteria” to be included on the scheme.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Williams of counter terrorism policing Wales said: “Our investigations show that Dighton was motivated by an extreme anti-government mindset.
“He had extreme anti-immigration views, he had anti-Islam views, and he saw the police as a legitimate target, in his words as ‘representatives or agents of the state’.
“Dighton was known to us.
“He was referred into the Prevent programme or for assessment by the Prevent programme in January 2024, 12 months before the attack took place.
“The concerns expressed in that referral were around his immigration views, his views around the religion of Islam and some sentiments he had expressed in relation to the involuntary celibate, or ‘incel’ movement.”
The incel movement is made of people who find themselves unsuccessful in relationships, often blaming women, with some harbouring extreme views.
Mr Williams said counter terrorism officers undertook a “detailed assessment” over a three-week period during the referral, including interviewing Dighton, before the case was closed.
He said: “There was nothing in that referral or in the subsequent assessment that would give any indication whatsoever that Dighton would go on to commit an offence of the nature he did.”
Mr Williams said the police have received 30,000 referrals in the last few years and “judgement calls have to be made”.
“Alexander Dighton was a lonely individual who spent a lot of time online, he had a particular fascination with an online game called Warhammer (40K),” he said.
“He was also online, expressing a number of what could be deemed far-right views.
“In his own words, he formed the intention to carry out this attack approximately a month beforehand and his online activity ramped up in that month.
“Without a doubt, I suspect the online world highly contributed to what he did.”
Mr Williams added that Dighton never published an account of what he planned to do before the incident, and he did not believe there had been prior contact with him before he was referred to Prevent.
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