Cavan Medlock, 32, turned up at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow, northwest London carrying a black rucksack containing gaffer tape and handcuffs
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Harrow: CCTV shows moment neo-Nazi attacked law firm in 2020
This is the harrowing moment CCTV captured a knife-wielding Nazi storming into a law firm before being tackled to the ground by a brave receptionist.
Cavan Medlock, 32, turned up at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow, northwest London carrying a black rucksack containing gaffer tape and handcuffs. Medlock’s bag also contained a Nazi and Confederate flags, Kingston Crown Court heard. He was told he needed to make an appointment and looked as though he was going to leave.
“He turned around in hallway, came back and walked up to desk where the receptionist sat and as he did that reached into rucksack and withdrew a combat knife,” said Timothy Cray, KC, prosecuting.
Jurors were shown CCTV footage which showed Medlock approaching receptionist Ravindran Tharmalangam with the six-inch black combat knife before punching and kicking him.
“A number of colleagues came to the receptionist’s defence and they were able to restrain Medlock against the wall,’ Mr Cray said. Medlock then said he had come to the office to kill a solicitor. He said this was because the firm had helped immigrants come to the United Kingdom and that immigrants were not welcome ‘here’,” said Mr Cray.
“He also made comments to the effect of ‘it’s rats like you that take up all the social housing in this country’ and ‘Enoch Powell was right’.”
Another member of staff said she was Jewish and asked whether Medlock had a problem with her, the court heard. Mr Cray added: “The defendant replied with words to the effect of ‘Hitler was right but didn’t finish the job’.”
He was held until the police arrived and when he was interviewed he admitted he wanted to take a hostage at the lawyer’s office.
In a police interview, Medlock said he wanted to take a victim hostage. He intended his actions to be a ‘rallying cry’ for other far right extremists.
“He said he wanted the media to come and see the flags displayed in the windows of the office,” said Mr Cray.
When asked in an interview if he felt that this was the right course of action, Medlock replied: “When politics fail and the people have no alternative.
“I think violence is the only natural progression of that thinking and to get change. The Nazi flag is a rallying cry to other nationalities. I do believe that Hitler should have won.”
Mr Tharmalangam said: “The defendant came back to the foyer, walking quietly. I then saw him with the knife in his hand. He was holding it over head at shoulder height. He said ‘take me up’. He just said ‘take me up’ Then we got into a scuffle. I was holding his hand with the knife. The knife fell to the floor. We continued to struggle for about 20-40 seconds.”
Solicitor Sheroy Zaq, who helped detain Medlock, said: “I had just left the bathroom and I saw him with my colleague in what appeared to be a headlock. It may have taken me a few seconds to work out what was going on. I shouted for help.
“I pushed the defendant up against the wall and did my best to keep him there. It was hard to overcome him. Initially I used all my strength but once he realised he was not getting out of the corner he stopped. He was trying to use all body weight to get out.”
Medlock called Mr Zaq’s mother “an ISIS whore” and said he “had no right to be in this country”. Mr Zaq said: “I said I was born and raised in London and went to school in Kingston, I was trying to make him realise I did belong. He immediately said, ‘it does not f—ing matter because you are not f—ing white’.”
Police found a copy of Adolf Hitler’s infamous testatment ‘Mein Kampf’ at Medlock’s home in Harrow, along with a mobile phone containing screenshots of a newspaper article referencing Duncan Lewis Solicitors.
Bearded Medlock appeared in court via video-link from a psychiatric hospital. Mr Justice Bennathan told jurors they would have to decide “whether this defendant did the act, namely whether he made preparations for a terrorist act and made threats to kill”. The jury found he carried out the acts of making preparations for a terrorist act and making threats to kill during the incident on 7 September 2020.
Acting Commander Helen Flanagan, from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Our investigation uncovered how Medlock had planned this attack and wanted to intimidate the public, particularly anyone who might be regarded as immigrants. He was prevented in carrying out his plan thanks to the extraordinarily brave actions of a receptionist, who managed to disarm him of a large knife.
“By his own admission, at the time of these events, Medlock identified as a Nazi. Our investigation supported this, with officers finding a copy of Mein Kampf at his home address. It is clear from what he said in police interviews, Medlock wanted to provide a ‘rallying cry’ to inspire other extreme right-wing terrorists. I’m glad that a jury has now found the facts of this case proven.”
Medlock faces sentence at Kingston Crown Court today.
