Man Found Guilty Of ‘Terrorist’ Murder Of Jo Cox MP

The man charged with murdering Labour MP Jo Cox earlier this year has been found guilty and jailed for life. Thomas Mair, 53, shot and stabbed Cox on the 16th June, a week before the EU referendum, in Birstall, West Yorkshire. He shouted "Britain First, this is for Britain" over her body after the attack. Mair was also found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent and possessing an offensive weapon (a dagger), as well as causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Bernard Kenny, 78, the man who came to Cox's aid during the attack, the BBC reported. Prosecutors said Mair was motivated by hate and and that his crimes "were nothing less than acts of terrorism designed to advance his twisted ideology". They said it was Cox, not Mair, who was the true "patriot". Mair showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out, after an hour of deliberations. He hadn't entered a plea or given evidence to defend himself during the trial. He asked to speak to the courtroom before the sentencing, after the evidence had already been heard, but the judge declined, adding that he'd missed his opportunity. Cox's family reportedly smiled as the guilty verdict was given. Her husband, Brendan, then read a victim impact statement. He said he wasn't there for "retribution" and felt "nothing but pity" for Mair, whose life was full of hatred and devoid of love. Outside the Old Bailey in London, Cox's husband said his wife's murder had been a self-defeating act of terrorism, which had unleashed a torrent of love. Cox's death inspired the #MoreInCommon movement, which took its name from a line in one of her parliamentary speeches and was designed to bring people and communities together. Her husband said the couple's children and the whole Cox family would continue to support Jo's ideas and values, and that they wouldn't be motivated by hatred. Judge Mr Justice Wilkie said Mair was inspired by an admiration of Nazism and violent white supremacism, and that his unwillingness to acknowledge what he did showed a lack of courage. Meanwhile, Justice Wilkie said Cox was an extraordinary mother, sister, daughter and friend, with a generous spirit. Cox's sister, Kim Leadbeater, said the family was relieved the process was over and called her sister's murder an "act of extreme cowardice". "I, for one, will not be beaten by what has happened and I know I am not alone," she added. The Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement: "Mair has offered no explanation for his actions but the prosecution was able to demonstrate that, motivated by hate, his pre-meditated crimes were nothing less than acts of terrorism designed to advance his twisted ideology," the BBC reported. A group of MPs recently joined forces with some well-known musicians to record a charity single in aid of the Jo Cox Foundation.