Copeland, David (1976–)

David Copeland is a British neo-Nazi who orchestrated a series of nail bombings in London during the summer of 1999.

Born on May 15, 1976, Copeland grew up in Yately, Hampshire, the second son of middle-class parents. An intelligent youth, he was somewhat shy and withdrawn, and of markedly slight build, a combination that made him the object of much bullying in school. He has stated that he fantasized continually about taking violent revenge on his tormentors from age 12, and some observers have suggested that his obsession with domination and violence led him to develop an interest in fascism. Whatever the case, as a teenager Copeland became fascinated with Nazism and other right-wing and racist causes. He believed in the superiority of the white race over all others and nurtured a particular, intense loathing of homosexuals.

Although he did well enough in school to go on to higher education, Copeland took a job with the London Underground. He also joined the British National Party and the National Socialist Party, two extremely right-wing groups. When he first moved from belief to action is unknown.

On April 17, 1999, Copeland planted a bomb on a street in Brixton, a mostly Afro-Caribbean neighborhood in London. The device was simple, and Copeland had to start the timer before transporting the bomb, placing himself at great risk. The sports bag containing the charge was packed with nails, bolts, and other shards of metal, and the explosion injured 40 people.

A week later, Copeland planted a second, similar device in Brick Lane, a street in a largely Pakistani and Indian immigrant neighborhood. An alert passerby noticed the suspicious bag and placed it in the trunk of his car to transport it to a police station. It exploded while inside the car, injuring 10 people.

Copeland's third and most devastating attack came on April 29. This time, instead of leaving the device in an open area, Copeland entered a gay bar, ordered a drink, and left after a few minutes. Acting on a tip, police had warned area bars of a possible attack, and several patrons noticed the suspicious gym bag. They had just gathered around the bag to examine it when it exploded. Three people were killed and 79 were injured.

The widespread use of closed-circuit television cameras in England allowed authorities to pick out the bomber from the crowd in the Brixton and Brick Lane incidents. The police released some of the closed-circuit pictures, which resulted in a tip from one of Copeland's coworkers the very afternoon of third bombing. Copeland was arrested the next day, and he confessed immediately, stating that his motive had been to spark a race war in England. Tried the following spring, he pled guilty to manslaughter with diminished capacity (claiming he was subject to paranoid fantasies and delusions), but the jury convicted him of murder. He is serving six life sentences for murder in Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric facility. In 2007, a judge ruled that Copeland cannot be considered for parole until he completes at least 50 years of his sentence.

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