Terrorist attacker Callum Parslow gave evidence at his trial amid tight security, claiming his tattoo of Adolf Hitler’s signature was an attempt to anger communists and his Nazi armband was part of a fancy outfit.

The 32-year-old, who struggled to conceal his interest in the Third Reich as part of a broader “intellectual curiosity”, told jurors that he was a patriot and held right-wing views but did not consider himself an extremist.

Parslow, originally from Hereford, began his evidence at Leicester Crown Court by recounting details of a six-week tour of 29 cities in Britain and Ireland he undertook before the attempted murder, including visits to cathedrals and historic monuments. asylum seeker Nahom Hagos at a hotel near Worcester on April 2.

Parslow chose to roll up the sleeve of his sweatshirt to show jurors a tattoo on his right arm related to the space agency Nasa, but did not show panel members his left forearm, a tribute to Hitler, during questioning from his lawyer.

In his testimony to the jury, Parslow was seen being handcuffed and chained to one of four dock officers before being returned from the witness stand to the cells.

Answering questions from defense lawyer Claire Davies KC at Leicester Crown Court, Parslow said that he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder after his arrest.

Claiming that the stabbing at the hotel occurred because of his imminent eviction from his bedroom, which was due to take place the next day, and as a “form of protest” at small boat crossings, Parslow repeatedly claimed that he did not intend to kill.

He told the court: “I could easily have reached out and slit his throat but that wasn’t what I wanted to do.

“I didn’t want to kill him. “I wanted to go to jail.”

Parslow, who insisted that he only intended to injure his victim’s shoulder after being angry about being released, described the “terrorist manifesto” he wrote as a disappointment.

“The reason I chose to do this to one of the Channel immigrants was because I was angry and frustrated,” he said.

“They spend £5.6bn a year to house them.”

Parslow added: “I was waiting for someone to confront me.

“I was planning to wave my knife and get detained. “I wanted to go to jail.”

Parslow said that although he had scouted the docking areas for small boats, he decided to attack a refugee at Hindlip, near his home.

He also admitted asking his victim where the hotel’s toilets were because he thought it would “diminish his attention” and give him time to prepare for the attack.

Parslow will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in January after jurors on Friday found him guilty of attempting to murder Mr Hagos at the Pear Tree Inn in Hindlip.