Rhianan Rudd: Groomed teenage girl who was accused of terrorism had 'obsession with Hitler', inquest told
A 16-year-old girl, who is believed to have taken her own life after facing terror charges, had wanted to "blow up" a Jewish place of worship and was obsessed with Adolf Hitler, an inquest has been told.
Rhianan Rudd was a victim of grooming by a "neo-Nazi" American extremist who had "encouraged her to read some books" about Jewish and black people, Chesterfield Coroner's Court heard.
Rhianan's mother Emily Carter said in a statement: "My daughter being groomed was huge and I saw Rhianan change. This had a great impact on her and I did all I thought was right by her.
"She was one of the kindest and most loving children I ever had the honour to know.
"I miss her more than life itself, I miss her smile, her laugh, her conversations - I just miss her."
Rhianan, from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, had been born into a domestic violence relationship, her mother also said.
The teenager was investigated by authorities after she downloaded a bombmaking manual and scratched a swastika mark on to her forehead, and she became the youngest person to be charged with terror offences in the UK, the court heard.
But her charges were dropped five months before her death when evidence emerged she had been exploited.
Rhianan's death
She died on 19 May 2022 at a children's home in Nottinghamshire, the inquest was told.
It heard that at the time of her death, the teenager was a looked-after child in the care of the local authority, had autism and self-harmed because she had "too many emotions" and "did not know how to deal with them".
Rhianan's mother wrote in a 7 September 2020 email to the Home Office counter-terrorism programme Prevent that the teenager had a "massive dislike for certain races", counsel to the inquest Edward Pleeth said.
'Shrine in bedroom to Hitler'
It was recorded during that month that Rhianan had an "obsession with Hitler", whom the court heard she had a shrine to in her bedroom, and was a "Holocaust denier".
The court was told that WhatsApp messages sent by Rhianan were contained in a student incident statement in September 2020, saying she "wants to kill someone in the school or blow up a Jewish place of worship" and that she "does not care who she kills and nothing matters anymore".
Also that month, it was recorded she said she had stopped speaking to the American extremist in March but then "seemed to contradict herself", meaning it was possible they were still communicating, the court heard.
Home searched
Two police officers went to Rhianan's home address on 9 October 2020 and seized a USB memory stick and a diary from her. PDF files related to bomb making, guerrilla warfare and homemade weapons, were recovered and her diary referenced firearms, the inquest was told.
That month, Counter Terrorism Policing East Midlands shared information with MI5 who opened an investigation into Rhianan, and on 20 October 2020 police decided not to arrest her because it was "believed to risk some impact on her mental health" and "could possibly lead to further self harm and suicide attempts", the court heard.
But after she was admitted to hospital that same day after scratching a swastika on to her face, the court was told that a decision was made on 21 October to arrest her.
Mr Pleeth told the court that Rhianan's charges were discontinued on 29 December 2021.
Chief coroner Judge Alexia Durran said the scope of the inquest includes how Rhianan's risk of self-harm and suicide was acted upon, such as the circumstances leading up to her charges being dropped, and how her care and support was coordinated.
The inquest continues.
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Rhianan's death … was the result of a self-inflicted act but it is not possible to ascertain her intention. 'In the circumstances, I do not consider I should make a prevention of future deaths report. 'Rhianan was known, to family and professionals, to be vulnerable, to have autistic traits and have a history of self-harm.' The coroner recorded Rhianan's cause of death as compression of the neck. She added that agencies involved with her had already made changes since she died. Rhianan's inquest, which heard evidence over four weeks in February and March, focused around the involvement of MI5, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the police, social services, NHS trusts responsible for her mental health care and the children's home where she was living. Speaking before the conclusion of the inquest, Rhianan's mother, Emily Carter, said the teenager, who was known to self harm, was a 'vulnerable child' and 'should have been treated as a victim more than anything'. Rhianan, left, was a victim of grooming by a neo-Nazi (Family handout/Leigh Day Solicitors/PA) Ms Carter said: 'I don't know what people thought she could do, but I don't believe that she was ever a threat. It was just what people would put in her head – brainwashed her, basically.' The teenager was 'severely impacted' by the police investigation and 'deeply scared' about going to prison as a result of being prosecuted for terrorism, and 'locked away her thoughts and feelings' about the criminal trial. Judge Durran concluded that it was 'necessary and appropriate' to investigate and prosecute Rhianan for terrorism offences. She said: 'While vulnerability is a relevant factor, a difficult balance must be struck between that vulnerability and protecting the public.' The coroner added: 'I find she was highly affected by her arrest and was concerned about being sent to prison.' It was not known what Rhianan was told by her legal team when the charges were dropped but this may have had a 'psychological impact' on her, the coroner said. Judge Durran decided that Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights was not engaged in the inquest, a decision she delayed until after she had heard all the evidence, meaning no breaches of the state's duty to protect life were identified. The inquest conclusion heard that there were missed opportunities by counter terrorism policing East Midlands (CTPEM) and Derbyshire County Council to refer Rhianan to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which identifies victims of modern slavery, earlier. Judge Durran said: 'I find, even at this early stage around November 2020, sufficient information existed for CTPEM or Derbyshire County Council to make an NRM referral.' She said the 'combination of information available' would create a 'sufficient basis' on which to identify Rhianan as a victim of modern slavery. The coroner added that it was not possible to say if Rhianan's charges would have been discontinued earlier or if it would have a 'more than minimal impact on Rhianan's death' if the NRM referral was made sooner. The coroner also found there was a missed opportunity to refer Rhianan to Nottinghamshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) when she moved to a children's home in the county. Judge Durran said: 'Derbyshire County Council was responsible for this missed opportunity to refer Rhianan to Nottinghamshire CAMHS. As a result, Rhianan was without CAMHS support for a considerable time – effectively from May 2021 to May 2022. 'I find it was a result of individual decisions or missed opportunities to make a referral in an otherwise functioning system.' The coroner said Rhianan did not have mental health support during a 'particularly challenging and difficult period', including her charges being dropped and the sessions with the deradicalisation programme Prevent. But she said it was 'too speculative' to say whether CAMHS support would have made any difference. The coroner found that Ms Carter's previous partner, who had been in prison and had a swastika tattoo, was a 'significant radicalising influence' on Rhianan. The hearing was told that Rhianan's mother made contact with an American, Dax Mallaburn, who had convictions relating to 'violent organised crime', through a write to prisoners scheme. Mr Mallaburn lived with Ms Carter from November 2017 and had 'links to white supremacist groups', the coroner said. Judge Durran said: 'I'm satisfied it's more likely than not that he played a material role in introducing and encouraging Rhianan's interest in extreme, right-wing materials.' Speaking before the conclusion of the inquest, Ms Carter said: '(Mr Mallaburn) did a lot of work in prison to be deradicalised, if you like. And so when he came out and I met him, he never showed any views.' An American neo-Nazi, whom Rhianan spoke to online and allegedly made her send explicit photos, was also a 'significant radicalising influence', the coroner found. The inquest heard that the CPS charged Rhianan without the 'full evidential picture' of her exploitation in April 2021 after she broke her bail conditions by running away from home to Sheffield. The coroner said Rhianan's placement at Bluebell House Residential Home, after she was charged, was a 'positive development' in her life and the staff 'appropriately met' her needs. Judge Durran said: 'I'm satisfied that professionals working with Rhianan were aware of her autism diagnosis. I'm entirely satisfied (staff at the children's home) were able to communicate with and support Rhianan effectively.' The inquest heard that an MI5 investigation was 'the only way to further understand the threat she might pose to national security'. MI5 investigated the girl from October 2020 until her death but had 'no indication' from intelligence gathered that she had intended to end her own life, an MI5 officer told the inquest. Judge Durran said: 'Rhianan was a talented, funny and complex young person who made a lasting impression on those around her and will be deeply missed.'
