Latest news with #WitnessX
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
Radicalised girl 'seemed well' before her death
A Home Office intervention provider has told an inquest a vulnerable teenage girl on an MI5 watchlist showed no signs of taking her own life three days before she did so. The de-radicalisation case worker, named as Witness X, told Chesterfield Coroner's Court she had meetings with Rhianan Rudd, 16, from Bolsover, Derbyshire, in the months before she died. But she said she was not provided with a history of Rhianan's mental health history including previous suicide attempts. Witness X said during their meetings, Rhianan described how she had become radicalised by a far-right extremist after studying World War II at school. Rhianan, who was autistic and had a history of self-harm, was arrested in October 2020 after downloading bomb-making guides and making verbal threats to "blow up a synagogue". She became the youngest girl to be charged with terror offences in April 2021, aged 15 and was remanded into a children's home as part of her bail conditions. She was placed on a MI5 watchlist and was a "subject of interest" up until her death. The teenager, who Chesterfield Coroner's Court heard was groomed and radicalised online by US-based far-right extremist Chris Cook, was found dead in a children's home in Nottinghamshire on May 19 2022 - five months after the charges were dropped. Rhianan's mother Emily Carter had referred her daughter to the de-radicalisation programme Prevent in September 2020, but her participation ended when Rhianan was arrested a month later. It started again March 2022 when her charges were dropped after a judge ruled she was a victim of exploitation and grooming. Witness X said she first became aware of Rhianan after being sent a briefing note from Prevent after the terror charges were dropped. In it, the Prevent officer described Rhianan as the "most vulnerable individual she's ever met". Rhianan, in the six sessions she had with Witness X between 4 March 2022 and her death, spoke of raising money for the Red Cross by creating and selling furry costumes and had aspirations of becoming a professional horse jockey after completing an apprenticeship. In the first meeting on 4 March, the teenager described herself as an "internet troll" but said she would not do "anything bad". She added she learned about messaging app Telegram but had "lost her sanity" after joining it, describing it as a "cesspit". Witness X also noted Rhianan spoke in an American accent and had developed this by speaking to 28-year-old Chris Cook online, who was from Ohio. The witness said Rhianan seemed anxious at the start of the meeting but "seemed relaxed at the end". But Edward Pleeth, counsel for the inquest, read from an email from the children's home that Rhianan was "visibly upset" and "shaky" following the first session and staff at the home said "it had not gone well". A multi-agency meeting decided the meetings should continue but with a focus on relationship building. Witness X said in her notes in another meeting Rhianan could have been showcasing "disguised compliance", with the teenager "telling me things I'd want to hear". The witness told the court she was formally considering psychosis after Rhianan spoke about "two minds in the same body". Jesse Nicholls, counsel for the family asked her: "Were you worried that something was going on with her mental state?" Witness X confirmed she was. The court heard in the days before a meeting on 27 April, Rhianan was "wearing army camouflage" around the home and expressed a desire to travel to Texas. In the meeting, she said she had a "three-day schizoid" and had been "rocking backwards and forwards" in her room. Rhianan also explained how she met Chris Cook on the online platform Discord who would send her extreme far-right material – including Holocaust denial. The teenager said through the Covid lockdown, she had "lots of available time and had become drawn in". In her final meeting with Witness X on 16 May - three days before she died - Rhianan gave more insight into her radicalisation. Notes from Witness X read to the court stated that Rhianan began learning about World War II at school before being told "this is what really happened" by her mother's US partner, who she described as a "literal Nazi". The notes said Rhianan was sceptical about his theories but they were later "reinforced" when she started talking to Cook. The court heard Rhianan had "enjoyed" the sessions and saw them as an "outlet to discuss things". Mr Pleeth asked Witness X about the final session: "Was there nothing from this session that concerned you and there was no dialogue or behaviour that was alarming or worrying? Witness X said there was not. Asked if there was concerns about self-harm or suicide, Witness X said Rhianan "seemed well in her mental state" and she had no concerns. The inquest continues. Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. 'Missed opportunities' to help groomed girl who died MI5 probe of groomed girl continued until death Groomed girl, 16, 'thriving' in home before death Groomed girl was 'fixated on Hitler' before death
The Independent
12-03-2025
- The Independent
Schoolgirl accused of terror found intervention session ‘triggering'
An autistic schoolgirl who was exploited by a neo-Nazi and charged with terror offences found her first intervention session 'triggering' but there were 'no concerns' she would end her life days before her death, her inquest has heard. Rhianan Rudd, 16, 'could not get enough' of learning about German history before she was radicalised and later investigated by MI5 and charged for downloading a bomb-making manual and saying she wanted to blow up a synagogue, the court was told. The teenager, who had a history of self-harm, was found with a ligature around her neck on May 19 2022 at a children's home in Nottinghamshire, five months after her charges were dropped when it emerged she had been groomed by an American far-right extremist. Chesterfield Coroner's Court was told Rhianan had six sessions between March 4 2022 and her death with an intervention provider working on behalf of Prevent, a deradicalisation programme, who cannot be named and was referred to as Witness X in court. Witness X gave evidence from behind a screen on Wednesday and agreed that Rhianan spoke with an American accent during their first session, which she developed from talking to the neo-Nazi, and said she 'lost her sanity' the day she 'entered the Telegram cesspit'. Counsel to the inquest Edward Pleeth told the court it was recorded that Rhianan was 'shaking' after this session. Mr Pleeth said it was noted that: 'It was triggering for her and brought out a lot of emotions and thoughts she had put away. She said she did not like what was discussed in the session.' The court was told Rhianan did not like talking about terrorism because it was 'PTSD inducing' and she 'locked away her thoughts and feelings about the (criminal) trial'. In their second session, the inquest heard Rhianan said she felt she 'had over-spoken which was triggering' and added: 'I'm not radicalised, I don't give two shits about anything to do with that subject.' In later sessions, Witness X recorded that Rhianan said she was not triggered by the intervention sessions, she 'enjoyed' them, and spoke about her future, the inquest heard. The witness agreed she had 'no concerns' from their final session on May 16, three days before Rhianan's death, that she would end her life. She agreed 'there was nothing from this session that stood out' and 'no dialogue or behaviour (she) considered to be alarming or worrying'. Rhianan had told Witness X she was 'hyper-aware' of far-right extremism and drew a timeline of her radicalisation in one of their sessions, chief coroner Judge Alexia Durran heard. The court was shown a picture of Rhianan's drawing including a German scientist character from the game TF2. In another session, the teenager told Witness X she had a 'three-day schizoid, was rocking back and forth' and when asked what that meant, Rhianan said she was 'fanatic', the inquest heard. The court was told Rhianan had not been receiving Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) support while completing the Prevent sessions. The inquest was told emails were exchanged between April 19 and 21 raising concerns that Rhianan's mental health had 'deteriorated' because she had been wearing camouflage around the residential home and wanted to visit London to get a visa so she could travel to Texas. Witness X told the inquest: 'I was not aware of her wanting to travel to Texas, I was made aware about her wearing camouflage clothing.' The inquest heard Rhianan told Witness X she had worn her camouflage clothing because all her clothes were in the wash. Rhianan also told the case worker that the last time she had had contact with the American extremist, he told her he 'loved her' and she 'felt a gaping hole and very sad for a long time'. The inquest continues.
BBC News
12-03-2025
- BBC News
Rhianan Rudd: 'No indication' groomed girl would take her life
A Home Office intervention provider has told an inquest a vulnerable teenage girl on an MI5 watchlist showed no signs of taking her own life three days before she did de-radicalisation case worker, named as Witness X, told Chesterfield Coroner's Court she had meetings with Rhianan Rudd, 16, from Bolsover, Derbyshire, in the months before she she said she was not provided with a history of Rhianan's mental health history including previous suicide X said during their meetings, Rhianan described how she had become radicalised by a far-right extremist after studying World War II at school. Rhianan, who was autistic and had a history of self-harm, was arrested in October 2020 after downloading bomb-making guides and making verbal threats to "blow up a synagogue".She became the youngest girl to be charged with terror offences in April 2021, aged 15 and was remanded into a children's home as part of her bail was placed on a MI5 watchlist and was a "subject of interest" up until her teenager, who Chesterfield Coroner's Court heard was groomed and radicalised online by US-based far-right extremist Chris Cook, was found dead in a children's home in Nottinghamshire on May 19 2022 - five months after the charges were dropped. Rhianan's mother Emily Carter had referred her daughter to the de-radicalisation programme Prevent in September 2020, but her participation ended when Rhianan was arrested a month started again March 2022 when her charges were dropped after a judge ruled she was a victim of exploitation and X said she first became aware of Rhianan after being sent a briefing note from Prevent after the terror charges were it, the Prevent officer described Rhianan as the "most vulnerable individual she's ever met".Rhianan, in the six sessions she had with Witness X between 4 March 2022 and her death, spoke of raising money for the Red Cross by creating and selling furry costumes and had aspirations of becoming a professional horse jockey after completing an the first meeting on 4 March, the teenager described herself as an "internet troll" but said she would not do "anything bad".She added she learned about messaging app Telegram but had "lost her sanity" after joining it, describing it as a "cesspit".Witness X also noted Rhianan spoke in an American accent and had developed this by speaking to 28-year-old Chris Cook online, who was from witness said Rhianan seemed anxious at the start of the meeting but "seemed relaxed at the end".But Edward Pleeth, counsel for the inquest, read from an email from the children's home that Rhianan was "visibly upset" and "shaky" following the first session and staff at the home said "it had not gone well". A multi-agency meeting decided the meetings should continue but with a focus on relationship X said in her notes in another meeting Rhianan could have been showcasing "disguised compliance", with the teenager "telling me things I'd want to hear".The witness told the court she was formally considering psychosis after Rhianan spoke about "two minds in the same body".Jesse Nicholls, counsel for the family asked her: "Were you worried that something was going on with her mental state?"Witness X confirmed she was. The court heard in the days before a meeting on 27 April, Rhianan was "wearing army camouflage" around the home and expressed a desire to travel to the meeting, she said she had a "three-day schizoid" and had been "rocking backwards and forwards" in her also explained how she met Chris Cook on the online platform Discord who would send her extreme far-right material – including Holocaust teenager said through the Covid lockdown, she had "lots of available time and had become drawn in".In her final meeting with Witness X on 16 May - three days before she died - Rhianan gave more insight into her from Witness X read to the court stated that Rhianan began learning about World War II at school before being told "this is what really happened" by her mother's US partner, who she described as a "literal Nazi".The notes said Rhianan was sceptical about his theories but they were later "reinforced" when she started talking to court heard Rhianan had "enjoyed" the sessions and saw them as an "outlet to discuss things".Mr Pleeth asked Witness X about the final session: "Was there nothing from this session that concerned you and there was no dialogue or behaviour that was alarming or worrying?Witness X said there was if there was concerns about self-harm or suicide, Witness X said Rhianan "seemed well in her mental state" and she had no inquest continues.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
Schoolgirl accused of terror found intervention session ‘triggering'
An autistic schoolgirl who was exploited by a neo-Nazi and charged with terror offences found her first intervention session 'triggering' but there were 'no concerns' she would end her life days before her death, her inquest has heard. Rhianan Rudd, 16, 'could not get enough' of learning about German history before she was radicalised and later investigated by MI5 and charged for downloading a bomb-making manual and saying she wanted to blow up a synagogue, the court was told. The teenager, who had a history of self-harm, was found with a ligature around her neck on May 19 2022 at a children's home in Nottinghamshire, five months after her charges were dropped when it emerged she had been groomed by an American far-right extremist. Chesterfield Coroner's Court was told Rhianan had six sessions between March 4 2022 and her death with an intervention provider working on behalf of Prevent, a deradicalisation programme, who cannot be named and was referred to as Witness X in court. Witness X gave evidence from behind a screen on Wednesday and agreed that Rhianan spoke with an American accent during their first session, which she developed from talking to the neo-Nazi, and said she 'lost her sanity' the day she 'entered the Telegram cesspit'. Counsel to the inquest Edward Pleeth told the court it was recorded that Rhianan was 'shaking' after this session. Mr Pleeth said it was noted that: 'It was triggering for her and brought out a lot of emotions and thoughts she had put away. She said she did not like what was discussed in the session.' The court was told Rhianan did not like talking about terrorism because it was 'PTSD inducing' and she 'locked away her thoughts and feelings about the (criminal) trial'. In their second session, the inquest heard Rhianan said she felt she 'had over-spoken which was triggering' and added: 'I'm not radicalised, I don't give two shits about anything to do with that subject.' In later sessions, Witness X recorded that Rhianan said she was not triggered by the intervention sessions, she 'enjoyed' them, and spoke about her future, the inquest heard. The witness agreed she had 'no concerns' from their final session on May 16, three days before Rhianan's death, that she would end her life. She agreed 'there was nothing from this session that stood out' and 'no dialogue or behaviour (she) considered to be alarming or worrying'. Rhianan had told Witness X she was 'hyper-aware' of far-right extremism and drew a timeline of her radicalisation in one of their sessions, chief coroner Judge Alexia Durran heard. The court was shown a picture of Rhianan's drawing including a German scientist character from the game TF2. In another session, the teenager told Witness X she had a 'three-day schizoid, was rocking back and forth' and when asked what that meant, Rhianan said she was 'fanatic', the inquest heard. The court was told Rhianan had not been receiving Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) support while completing the Prevent sessions. The inquest was told emails were exchanged between April 19 and 21 raising concerns that Rhianan's mental health had 'deteriorated' because she had been wearing camouflage around the residential home and wanted to visit London to get a visa so she could travel to Texas. Witness X told the inquest: 'I was not aware of her wanting to travel to Texas, I was made aware about her wearing camouflage clothing.' The inquest heard Rhianan told Witness X she had worn her camouflage clothing because all her clothes were in the wash. Rhianan also told the case worker that the last time she had had contact with the American extremist, he told her he 'loved her' and she 'felt a gaping hole and very sad for a long time'. The inquest continues.
