In brief
The case against Johannes Kongsnes Natland was left unresolved after the jury could not agree on a verdict in under 15 hours of deliberation. Natland, who allegedly agreed with the Swedish Foxes gang to shoot a target for €25,000, was arrested in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. While he admitted possession of firearms, he denied conspiracy to murder. Courts now plan a fresh trial and Natland remains in custody. The incident raises concerns about cross‑border organised crime and the challenges of securing convictions in complex criminal conspiracies.
A jury failed to reach a verdict over 14 hours and 43 minutes in the trial of 19‑year‑old Norwegian teenager Johannes Kongsnes Natland at Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court. The accused is alleged to have travelled to England in 2024 to carry out a murder for an international crime network linked to Iran.
According to prosecutors, Natland agreed with the crime group Foxes—a Swedish‑based gang—to shoot an unknown target for €25,000 (about £21,500) in March last year. Two days after arriving in the UK, armed police arrested him at a hotel in Huddersfield, seizing two guns and 12 live bullets.
Natland acknowledged possession of the firearms and ammunition but denied any conspiracy to murder. His defense argued that the evidence presented was insufficient to prove intent.
Jurors were given a majority direction by Mr Justice Lavender before retiring to deliberate. When they failed to agree on a verdict, the senior judge discharged the jury after the lengthy retirement session, and the Crown announced it would seek a retrial.
Natland has been remanded into custody pending the new proceedings. The case underscores the difficulties prosecutors face when dealing with transnational organised crime, especially when evidence is circumstantial.
