Court order seeks to continue monitoring neo-Nazi Desmond Liddington ahead of prison release

The head of a white supremacist group jailed for a terrifying act at the home of a Sydney left-wing activist became hooked on “offensive” white supremacy ideologies as “something to replace a family”, a court has heard.

The state of NSW is seeking to continue monitoring neo-Nazi Desmond Liddington after he is released in February. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

One of the state’s most notorious white supremacists has found love according to his barrister with the neo-Nazi group leader finding a partner willing to “accept” him despite his “very off-putting appearance” and “offensive beliefs”.

The eyebrow-raising submission came weeks before Desmond Liddington is due to be released from prison for a terrifying attempted home invasion of a Black Lives Matter activist in Sydney’s south.

Liddington, who is the leader of the white supremacist group Firm 22, is easily distinguished by tattoo-ladened bald head including one of an AK-47 assault rifle above the term “RAHOWA” which refers to the neo-Nazi concept of a “racial holy war”.

The confronting incident which resulted in Liddington being sentenced for affray and intimidation occurred in December, 2021, at the Arncliffe residence of left-wing activist Padriac “Paddy” Gibson.

Court documents state Liddington, along with Clement Gilbert and Max Ferrer, knocked on Mr Gibson’s door with the victim immediately recognising the men as neo-Nazi extremists based on his previous interactions with the far-right movement.

Desmond Liddington with other members of the white supremacy group Firm 22.

Gilbert and Ferrer pleaded guilty to intimidation and affray and were sentenced to community correction orders.

One of the men asked “Is this Paddy? We want to have a word with Paddy” before Mr Gibson replied: “Paddy is not here.”

The men bashed on the door as Mr Gibson and his wife ran to the back of the house, locked the security door and called police as the men damaged a window and the veranda during the chaotic ordeal.

In February, 2021, Magistrate Phillip Stewart sentenced Liddington to two years and six months behind bars after telling Sutherland Local Court he had “no doubt” the crimes were “motivated by hatred for, or prejudge against a group of people to which he believed Mr Gibson belonged”.

Anti-racism activist Paddy Gibson. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“There can be no doubt that Gibson was targeted by Liddington and others due to their right-wing extremist beliefs which obviously do not accord with those held by Gibson,” Mr Stewart said.

The sentence was successfully appealed in the District Court with Judge Leonie Flannery reducing the prison term to two years despite hearing how Liddington first became exposed to white supremacy ideologies while serving time in Western Australia.

Liddington’s prison term is set to conclude on February 4 and the state of NSW is seeking to continue monitoring the southwest Sydney bricklayer with the NSW Supreme Court hearing an application for an interim supervision order last month.

Barrister James Emmett SC, acting on behalf of the state, said the application was brought about given the potential terror threat Liddington posed on release.

Desmond Liddington leaving Sutherland Local Court in 2021. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

“There is a real possibility they (the group Liddington was a part of) are a terrorist organisation as defined or that they may be in the future,” Mr Emmett submitted before later acknowledging the case was “looking at possibilities in the future”.

Liddington, who was appearing in court via video link, scrunched his face and shook his head as his barrister, Richard Wilson SC, described the suggestion his client could be part of a terrorist organisation as “pure speculation”.

Mr Wilson submitted Liddington’s involvement in white supremacy was brought about by a “deprived and ineffective background” and the desire for “something to replace a family”.

“He now has a partner that is fulfilling that,” Mr Wilson said.

“It has given him a sense of family, a sense of meaning and an acceptance for who he is... despite his very off-putting appearance and tattoos which many in our society find offensive and his offensive beliefs.”

Justice Andrew Coleman will hand down his judgment later this month.

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