Local man sentenced after sharing extremist videos online
A Leicester man has been jailed after admitting he disseminated racist, neo-Nazi and antisemitic material, including graphic footage relating to extreme right‑wing attacks. The case was heard at Leicester Crown Court, where the defendant was sentenced this week.
Zayan Lorgat, 20, pleaded guilty in July to four counts of disseminating a terrorist publication under the Terrorism Act 2006. Court papers show officers recovered material from devices seized when police executed a warrant at his home in Grantham Road, Leicester, in October 2024.
- Devices and digital files seized during the raid included videos and images shared in Telegram chats.
- Some of the material was said to be graphic footage of extreme right‑wing terrorist attacks.
- Investigators from Counter Terrorism Policing North East led the operation, supported by Counter Terrorism Policing East Midlands and Leicestershire Police.
At Wednesday's hearing, the court ordered Lorgat to serve two years and three months in custody, with a further 12‑month extended licence period to follow. His devices were also ordered not to be returned.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Zayan Lorgat, 20 |
| Offence | Four counts of disseminating a terrorist publication |
| Sentence | 2 years 3 months custody; 12 months extended licence |
| Location of raid | Grantham Road, Leicester (Oct 2024) |
The prosecution told the court that the defendant had been sharing videos and images from the age of 17. During interviews, Lorgat reportedly said he had been influenced after the death of his mother and had sought validation online by adopting the persona of a white, extreme right‑wing sympathiser.
"This was not just one horrific, appalling video that you shared."
The remarks above were made by Judge Timothy Spencer KC during sentencing, highlighting the severity and multiplicity of the content disseminated. The judge said Lorgat was "posing as a white extreme right‑wing sympathiser" while seeking approval from others online.
In court, prosecutors outlined how Lorgat had told officers he started to "look at the world through the eyes" of a right‑wing Telegram contact. They added that, after initially sharing material, he continued posting extreme right‑wing, anti‑LGBTQ+ and antisemitic content because he became used to doing so without apparent consequence.
When re‑interviewed in February 2025, the court heard the defendant admitted sending the videos and said he had tried to "portray himself as a white, Aryan male online to get closer to people", commenting: "They talk to me if I do." Defence mitigation submitted that the defendant had been studying media production at De Montfort University and had witnessed difficult family circumstances, including the loss of his mother.
The investigation was led by Counter Terrorism Policing North East with support from regional and local specialist teams. Leicestershire Police assisted the operation and provided the local links to the inquiry and seizure of devices in Leicester.
The sentence and confiscation of devices underline the legal consequences of sharing extremist material online. Community groups and local authorities continue to stress the importance of reporting worrying material to the authorities, and terrorism investigators have repeatedly asked members of the public to come forward with information about online radicalisation.
Anyone with concerns about extremist material online or who wishes to report suspicious behaviour can contact Leicestershire Police or the dedicated national reporting channels maintained by counter‑terrorism authorities.
