A man has been found guilty of an attempted murder following an attack on a man in April this year.
Callum Parslow, aged 32, was arrested on 2 April after seriously injuring a 25-year-old Eritrean man at a hotel in Worcester. Parslow is understood to be originally from the Hereford area.
The jury heard how Parslow had carried out a carefully planned attack that had been weeks in the making where he had researched hotels housing asylum seekers, planned his nearly five mile journey from his flat, bought an expensive knife from the US and prepared a manifesto which he had intended to publicise after the attack.
On 2 April, Parslow left his flat on foot before travelling by taxi to a canal footpath and walking along country lanes before reaching the rural country hotel The Pear Tree Inn.
At the time of the attack, the hotel had been undergoing renovations and had not housed asylum seekers for a number of weeks. The victim was not staying at the hotel but was eating there after being offered lunch by the hotel manager.
When he entered the hotel, Parslow approached the victim asked where he was from, the man replied he was from Eritrea. Parslow then went to the toilets before returning a short time later when he pulled out the knife and stabbed the man in his chest and hand.
The victim was taken to hospital by the hotel manager and one of the builders renovating the hotel where he received treatment to his injuries.
Local officers detained Parslow on the canal towpath, he was taken to Worcester police station while detectives searched his address and found several weapons including an axe, a knife, a baseball bat among other items.
Detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands were called in to support West Mercia Police on the same day of the attack when information was found on his phone espousing hate and extremism which has been called an extreme right-wing terrorist manifesto. The attack was declared a terrorist incident on Sunday 7 April by the acting Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing.
Throughout his police interviews, Parslow gave ‘no comment’ responses.
Material found on his phone included Parslow giving a Nazi salute, Nazi symbols, right wing propaganda and pictures of a tattoo on his arm of Adolf Hitler’s signature.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing in the West Midlands, Detective Chief Superintendent Alison Hurst, said: “Parslow carried out a carefully planned attack with his extreme right-wing mindset targeting his victim based on his ethnicity.
“He intended to kill an asylum seeker and be arrested as a result because he was being evicted from his flat after leaving his job.
“Thankfully the victim was able to recover from his physical injuries although he still receives some treatment but he will have to live with the impact of this attack.”
DCS Hurst continued: “We will continue to protect local communities by working with partners and the CPS to pursue and prosecute all those who show support for terrorism.
“We work tirelessly to counter terrorism. Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live, work and visit the West Midlands area.”
Parslow pleaded guilty to unconnected charges, including a sexual offence, during a three-week trial at Leicester Crown Court.
The jury today deliberated for just over four hours before finding him guilty of attempted murder – he will be sentenced on 17 January.
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