Johannes Natland, a 19-year-old Norwegian teenager accused of travelling to the UK to carry out an assassination, has taken the stand at the Old Bailey, claiming he was coerced into the plot by a Swedish organised crime group with alleged links to Iran. The defendant alleges that he feared for his own life and the safety of his family if he refused to comply with their demands.
Natland's arrest in March 2025 at the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was a dramatic turn of events. Firearms officers discovered two guns and 12 rounds of ammunition in his room, leading to charges of possession of firearms and ammunition. While he has pleaded guilty to these counts, Natland maintains his innocence regarding the murder plot.
Prosecutors claim that Natland's involvement began with a call from a man he met at a residential home for 'problem children' shortly after turning 18. This initial contact led to him being added to a Snapchat group where discussions about a shooting in England took place, along with an offer of €25,000 for an unknown target. According to Natland's testimony, his interest in the plot was driven by financial motivations – he wanted to use the money to pay off drug debts.
A complex picture is emerging of Natland's background, including a history of severe drug abuse that began with cannabis at 13 and escalated to daily use of stimulants, amphetamines, weed, and cocaine by 2025. His addiction has had devastating consequences, including a stay in a psychiatric unit due to a drug-induced psychosis. Natland described his experiences as having 'lost his mind a long time ago' due to his struggles with addiction.
The defendant's journey to the UK was far from straightforward. He initially flew to Manchester but was refused entry due to technicalities surrounding his passport and finances. However, after being permitted re-entry by a UK Border Force officer, Natland followed instructions from a Signal user to travel to Huddersfield, where he collected cash from a footpath tunnel and guns from woodland before settling in his hotel room with the weapons under his bed.
The exact intentions behind Natland's actions remain at the heart of the trial. His admission that he planned to shoot himself in the foot the next morning has sparked questions about his mental state and whether he was genuinely attempting to carry out an assassination, or if this was a desperate attempt to save face with his handlers.