A man who planned a terrorist attack at a London law firm and made a threat to kill a solicitor has been sentenced to a hospital order.
Cavan Medlock, 32, walked into the office of the law firm in Harrow shortly before 5pm on 7 September 2020 and asked to see a solicitor by name.
He did not have an appointment and was told that the solicitor he had asked to see was not available.
At 5.20pm, Medlock walked towards the firm’s receptionist, brandishing a six-inch knife above his head.
The receptionist grabbed hold of Medlock and was able to disarm him and kick the knife away before other members of staff were alerted and able to help.
While he was restrained in the waiting area, Medlock said he had planned to kill the solicitor because the law firm helped immigrants come to the UK and repeated those threats to the particular solicitor’s face.
He also made racist remarks to two other members of staff, and a search of his bag revealed a pair of handcuffs, rolls of gaffer tape, the knife sheath, and two large flags of Nazi Germany and the US Confederacy.
Further analysis of his mobile phone followed a search of his home revealed that Medlock had targeted the solicitor after reading a media article and had also researched the location of the law firm.
On Tuesday, 10 December following a trial of facts at Kingston Crown Court, Medlock was found to have committed the act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist acts, having been found not fit to enter a plea.
Medlock was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order at the same court today.
The prosecution followed an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.
Bethan David, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Cavan Medlock’s terrorist ideology was clear.
“By his own admission at the time of these events, he identified as a Nazi and believed his acts would rally others to his cause of right-wing extremism.
“His plan was designed to intimidate immigrants to the UK and their families, and involved the use, or at least the threat, of serious violence.
“It was only the brave actions of the receptionist at the law firm which prevented his plan from being carried out.
“The CPS will always seek to prosecute anyone who prepares terrorist acts in the UK.”
Notes to editors
- Cavan Medlock, (DOB: 17/09/1992), is of Harrow, north-west London.
- He was found to have committed the act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist acts at Kingston Crown Court on 10 December 2024.
