BRITAIN'S youngest terrorist has been sentenced to a least five years in custody for plotting an Anzac Day terror attack in Australia.

Over the course of nine days in March this year the then 14-year-old boy took on the role of "organiser and adviser" to an alleged Australian jihadist in a plot to murder police officers by beheading in Melbourne the following month.

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The youngster, from Blackburn, exchanged more than 3,000 encrypted mobile app messages with 18-year-old Sevdet Besim after he became swiftly radicalised by online Islamic State propaganda.

A "major terrrorist plot in its late stages" was thwarted when authorities in Britain and Australia intervened and Besim was arrested in possession of a knife a week before the annual war remembrance event.

The youngster, now aged 15, was given a life sentence at Manchester Crown Court and told he would serve at least five years.

Mr Justice Saunders said the defendant's life term meant he would not be released until he is considered not to be dangerous.

He said: "Thanks to the intervention of the police in this country and in Australia, that attack and the deaths which were intended to follow never happened.

"Had the authorities not intervened, (the defendant) would have continued to play his part hoping and intending that the outcome would be the deaths of a number of people.

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"In March 2015 he would have been pleased if that had happened. He would have welcomed the notoriety that he would have achieved."

He continued: "The revelation in this case that someone of only 14 could have become so radicalised that he was prepared to carry out this role intending and wishing that people should die is chilling."

The judge ruled that reporting restrictions which ban the identification of the Muslim defendant should remain.

The bespectacled teenager, wearing grey trousers, a grey shirt and patterned tie, hugged his parents and family members in turn after sentence was passed down before he was led from the courtroom to begin his sentence.

Lancashire Constabulary Assistant Chief Constable Tim Jacques said: “The early identification of this threat was through the vigilance of both Lancashire Constabulary staff and our partners involved in safeguarding vulnerable people. This excellent partnership and the relationships that have been built up over many years saved lives overseas.

“At the time of his arrest in March 2015 the boy was subject to local safeguarding arrangements. Concerns were shared with us by partners and this led ultimately to the disruption of this evil plan”

“We remain committed to preventing vulnerable people being drawn into terrorist related activity. We will work closely with communities and our partners to address any form of extremism”.

“Our purpose is to keep the public safe, this includes ensuring that vulnerable individuals of any age, faith, ethnicity or background receive support before they are exploited by those who promote terrorism and before they become involved in criminal terrorist activity.”

The youth found an online jihadist community through his first smartphone which "filled a void" caused by problems he was having at school and at home as well as a degenerative eye condition.

Within two weeks of setting up a Twitter account he had 24,000 followers as he constructed a fantasy image of himself and "quickly became a celebrity" within the jihadi Twitter community.

His contact with Besim was instigated by a well-known Isis recruiter and propagandist named Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, himself an Australian, who has promoted the idea of terrorist attacks in his homeland, said the Crown.

Within hours of the pair first making contact not only had the plotters determined that the attack was to take place in Australia but also the idea of an attack upon police officers was taking hold.

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On Thursday, prosecutor Paul Greaney QC told the youth's sentencing hearing: "There is no doubt that there was a determination on the part of the defendant and Sevdet Besim that the plot should be carried through and the contact between the two included frequent references to the production of a martyrdom video by Besim for al-Cambodi which, no doubt, al-Cambodi intended to use for propaganda purposes.

"In the event, fortunately, the authorities here and in Australia intervened and a plot that would in all probability have resulted in a number of deaths was thwarted."

On March 25 the Blackburn teenager was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill after numerous concerns had been raised of his extremist behaviour at school including references to beheading teachers, the court heard.

He was re-arrested on April 2 when "disturbing material" was found on electronic devices seized from his bedroom.

The youth denied he had any intention of engaging in terrorism and had not contacted an Australian collaborator, known then only as Ilyas.

On April 15 Besim conducted further internet research on the Anzac Day parade, including in relation to a particular road.

Three days later the police acted and Besim was arrested where he was found to be in possession of a knife, the court heard

Knives and a large Shahada flag were recovered from his home, along with a phone that contained a martyrdom message.

The Blackburn teenager was also arrested again on the same day but declined to answer questions.

In July he pleaded guilty to inciting terrorism overseas.

Besim is awaiting trial in Australia next year.

The court was told the defendant had subsequently told a psychiatrist in custody that he was convinced that if the police had not disrupted his activities "a massacre would have occurred" and in this way he thought he "would become notorious".

James Pickup QC, representing the 15-year-old, questioned the prosecution argument that his client was the driving influence behind Besim's plans.

He explained how the Australian was already radicalised and fully aware of jihadist ideology.

Mr Pickup said the defendant had made considerable progress at the specialist unit where he is being held.

He told the judge: "He accepts his crimes were barbaric, immoral and wholly wrong."

The barrister said that the "void that was filled by the extremist propaganda of Isis no longer exists".

He said this was now filled by positive influences, including the support of his family.