A 19-year-old Norwegian teenager, Johannes Natland, is on trial at the Old Bailey for conspiracy to murder. Despite being accused of flying to the UK to carry out a 'hit' for a Swedish organised crime group linked to Iran, Natland claims he was not planning to kill anyone.
Prosecutors allege that Natland had agreed to shoot someone in the UK, but he denies this. He told the jury that he had no idea who the target was and that he did not intend to go through with the killing.
Natland has admitted to possessing two handguns and ammunition, but denies conspiracy to murder. He was arrested by specialist firearms officers in the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield on 19 March 2025, two days after arriving in the UK.
Natland's defence team has claimed that he was drawn into the plot by a message from someone he met in a home for troubled teenagers in Norway. He told the court that he had been in prison in England, where he had tried drugs and struggled to find purpose in his life.
The trial is expected to conclude next week. Natland's claims have sparked debate about the motivations behind his actions and the role of organised crime groups in the UK.