MI5 Material Withheld in Teenager’s Case Not a Cause for Concern
A hearing revealed that MI5’s withheld material in a teenager’s case is not alarming, despite concerns from her family.
Nottinghamshire, Rhianan Rudd, MI5, Terrorism, Inquest
Nottinghamshire: Some MI5 documents related to a teenager’s case are being kept from her inquest, but officials say it’s nothing to worry about. This was shared during a recent hearing.
Rhianan Rudd, just 16, tragically passed away in a children’s home back in May 2022. This was a year after she faced terrorism charges for downloading a bomb-making guide and allegedly planning an attack.
Her mother, Emily Carter, had raised concerns about Rhianan, leading to an investigation by police in September 2020. They referred her to the anti-radicalization program called Prevent.
During the hearing, it was mentioned that MI5 had been keeping an eye on Rhianan and had shared information with the police during their investigation.
Rhianan, who had autism, was supposed to go to trial in March 2022. However, the charges were dropped five months before her death when it was determined she had been manipulated by an American extremist.
At the Royal Courts of Justice, Chief Coroner Judge Alexia Durran listened to the details during a pre-inquest hearing.
It was noted that no public interest immunity applications had been made, which would allow for withholding sensitive information that could cause harm if released.
Jesse Nicholls, representing Rhianan’s family, expressed concerns about the withheld evidence, stating that they only received summaries and not the full details.
He worried that there might be more important information that should have been shared but wasn’t because it was deemed irrelevant.
Neil Sheldon KC, representing MI5 and the Home Office, reassured everyone that the decision to withhold certain materials was made after a thorough review process, emphasizing that it wasn’t due to any shortcomings.
He insisted that the family had been given a complete account of MI5’s involvement, and there was no reason for alarm.
Judge Durran also granted anonymity to a senior MI5 officer involved in the case, as revealing their identity could put them and their family in danger.
The full inquest into Rhianan’s death is set to start on February 27 at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court and is expected to last about three weeks.