2 publishers · first seen Thu, 29 Oct 2026 07:48 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 11:13 UTC
Mark Neville, 65, has pleaded guilty to attempted arson, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a prohibited weapon after throwing a petrol bomb at the Thistle City Barbican hotel on Dingley Road in Islington, north London, on 24 September 2025. The attack, which occurred shortly before 23:00 BST, was captured on CCTV, showing Neville lighting the device in a nearby doorway and throwing it over the hotel's gate. Security guards extinguished the fire quickly, and no injuries were reported. Neville was identified through CCTV footage, a glove with his DNA found in a bin near the scene, and forensic analysis linking glass fragments from the petrol bomb to him.
Police found evidence of internet searches related to far-right activism and asylum seekers on his computers, and Neville admitted in a police interview that friends had sent him articles about immigration and that he had attended anti-immigration marches, including one at the targeted hotel. Initially denying involvement, he later admitted to the crime after being presented with evidence.
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