Neo-Nazi who promotes Holocaust denial is revealed to be director of Scottish posh food firm

Secret life of Paul Illingworth - a skinhead bodybuilder who is listed as member of vile fascist Blood and Honour group whose fascist sympathies have been revealed on Facebook

Mirror, UK/August 4, 2017

By Billy Briggs and Stephen Jones

The director of a posh food firm in Scotland is a neo- Nazi who promotes Holocaust denial, it's emerged.

The Mirror's sister paper The Daily Record today reveals the secret life of Paul Illingworth - a director of Lochaber Game Services in Fort William in the Highlands.

A joint investigation with The Ferret website has uncovered the skinhead bodybuilder’s vile fascist sympathies, including boasting of shouting a Nazi “sieg heil” on a visit to Berlin.

He called a notorious Holocaust denier a “true historian” and is listed as a member of the neo-Nazi Blood and Honour group.

They have nearly 20 divisions in the UK, including Blood and Honour Highlander, who hold a Kriss Donald Memorial every year.

Far-right groups have long tried to exploit the racist killing of Glasgow schoolboy Kriss by a gang of violent criminals of Pakistani origin to inflame feelings against the wider community.

Heavily tattooed Illingworth is a Rangers fan and his Facebook profile picture shows him standing beside ex-Ibrox legend Graeme Souness.

He also posted a picture of himself with former Rangers star John Brown.

But both ex-footballers are likely to be shocked by Illingworth’s loathsome extreme right-wing associations.

Earlier this year, he posted a photo on Facebook of himself in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.

Comments from friends who viewed the post included one that said: “No goose stepping.”

Another friend wrote: “Just tell them it’s a red hand salute. I’m sure many will be thrown on Sunday when Rangers visit Leipzig lol.”

Illingworth replied: “Hahah never thought of that. Managed to shout sieg heil last night, though.”

He added that he wanted to “salute” at the Brandenburg Gate but there were “too many people and police about”. And he went on: “It’s great to be in the Fatherland.”

Last year, Illingworth shared a YouTube clip on Facebook of Holocaust denier Bishop Richard Williamson.

The renegade English churchman, who has been excommunicated twice by the Vatican, sparked international outrage in 2009 with his sick views.

Williamson said in an interview for a Swedish documentary: “I believe the historical evidence is strongly against ... hugely against ... six million Jews having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers, as a deliberate policy of Adolf Hitler . I believe there were no gas chambers.”

After sharing YouTube footage of the bishop, Illingworth posted: “I’ve read a few of his books and admire him greatly...True Historian.”

We have obtained photos of Illingworth with other skinheads wearing Blood and Honour T-shirts.

He is a fan of the infamous neo-Nazi band Skrewdriver, who inspired Blood and Honour, an international movement who organise secretive music gigs in the UK and abroad.

Blood and Honour was a 1985 song by the group, whose lead singer Ian Stuart Donaldson helped found the movement.

The organisation emerged from the skinheads in the 1980s and led the Rock Against Communism movement.

Blood and Honour are banned in Germany, Russia and Spain but active in at least 20 other nations, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Chile.

Their website says: “Blood and Honour has evolved into a tight organisation, active groups of thirty plus becoming divisions, smaller groups being given sectional status, all politically active and aligned to the party or movement of their choice.

“Neither divisional or section status is awarded lightly, it has to be earnt (sic) not bought.

“With the success of Blood and Honour within Great Britain, and the massive amount of support globally, international divisions of Blood and Honour began, from the first in Australia and other white Commonwealth countries, the movement has grown to cover countries in all four corners of the globe.”

In his photo with Souness, Illingworth is wearing a blue Thor Steinar t-shirt.

Thor Steinar goods were banned in Germany in 2004 because of the logo’s similarity to symbols worn by SS officers.

But the company have rebranded and their look is popular with the extreme far right.

In March 2012, they sparked global controversy when they opened a shop called Brevik in Saxony.

They were accused of naming the store after Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.

Unite Against Fascism said: “Blood and Honour are the street-fighting thugs of the Nazi movement in Britain.

“There is little difference between Blood and Honour and banned terrorist organisations.

“Their aim is to use violence to terrorise opposition to Nazi street protests and fascist fundraising gigs. In the current political climate, where immigrants are being scapegoated, we can’t afford give them an inch.”

Matthew Collins, of anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate, said: “Their time has passed. But like all racists, they can pose a threat to members of the community – especially when drunk or wound up.

“So it would help if the police reacted appropriately when they try and sneak their gigs etc into mainstream society.”

Illingworth failed to respond to several approaches asking for comment.