Neo-Nazi teenager sentenced to 19 years in prison for attempted murder

A teenage racist who used an axe to hit a Kurdish barber on the back of his neck in broad daylight in south Bristol has been sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder.

A judge at the Old Bailey said that the offences committed by 19-year-old Alina Burns of Lynton Road in Knowle West had a terrorist connection.

Burns struck the stranger from behind at 1.30pm on August 2 2025 as he stood outside his barbers shop on East Street in Bedminster.

Despite hitting her victim again on the side of his face as he turned to look at Burns, he suffered only minor injuries and he managed to quickly disarm her before flagging down two nearby police officers.

Burns was arrested at the scene and was found to be in possession of an axe, a scalpel and two darts.

After being initially charged with attempted grievous bodily harm and three counts of possession of a bladed article, she was further charged with attempted murder to which she later pleaded guilty.

A not guilty plea to a charge of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts was accepted by the court.

Detective superintendent Sarah Robbins, from Counter Terrorism Policing South West, said: “It is extremely fortunate that this vicious attack, which saw an innocent man have an axe swung at his neck, didn’t result in the loss of life.

“Thankfully the victim only suffered minor physical injuries but I know the events of that afternoon will have a lasting psychological impact on him.

“It is our view that Burns carried out this dreadful attack because of her distorted beliefs and extreme mindset.

“From everything we know and the evidence we gathered, we believe she targeted the victim because she perceived him to be either an immigrant, an ethnicity which she held contempt for or both.

“I appreciate that the details of this incident will cause understandable shock and concern in the local community.

“We are grateful for the support we have received from the public during this investigation, and we will continue to work closely with Avon and Somerset Police to reassure those affected, both the victim and the local community.”

Alina Burns has been sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison – photo: Avon & Somerset Police

Avon & Somerset Police neighbourhood policing superintendent Deepak Kenth added: “This is an extremely concerning case in which an 18-year-old woman has carried out a horrific attack on an innocent man in the street as a direct result of the hateful views she harboured.

“Public safety is always a top priority and we’ve worked extremely closely with our colleagues in Counter Terrorism Policing throughout this investigation.

“While incidents of this magnitude are rare, we know the details of this case will cause understandable concern and fear in our communities.

“We’ll continue to provide all the reassurance we can and want to thank our community leaders for helping to inform the public about the action policing has taken to ensure a dangerous offender is brought to justice.

“United communities are the strongest antidote to hate. We’d urge anyone with concerns or suspicions about someone’s behaviour to contact the police, so we can take any necessary action.”

Main photo: Avon & Somerset Police