Teen 'hitman' pretended to shoot armed police with imaginary gun when arrested

A Norwegian teenager accused of flying to the UK to murder a stranger for money pretended to shoot armed police in footage played in court.

Johannes Natland, 19, was allegedly offered €25,000 by the Foxtrot network - a Swedish organised crime group used by the Iranian regime - to shoot dead an unknown target.

After arriving in Manchester from his home in Stavanger, south-west Norway, he was directed to stashes of money, guns and ammunition, the Old Bailey heard.

But he was arrested early on 19 March last year at the Briar Court Hotel, in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, after filming himself handling an antique revolver, a semi-automatic pistol and 12 live bullets.

Jurors were shown body-worn camera footage of the moment armed officers, carrying shields, knock loudly on his door, shouting: "Occupants of Room 207, it's the police, come to the door."

Natland, wearing only his boxer shorts and rubbing his eyes, then bursts out of the door with his hands up as if he is holding a gun and mimes shooting at police.

An officer then grabs Natland's left hand and pushes him against the wall before he is handcuffed, shaking his head when asked if there are any weapons in the room.

At one point in the footage, Natland appears to be smiling and laughing, before he is marched down the hotel corridor into reception.

The court heard in exchanges with one of the officers he said, "that was fun, like", in Norwegian, while in English said, "you're smiling", "funny, hey" and "what the f*** is this s***".

Jurors have been told Natland has pleaded guilty to possession of the two guns and the bullets, but denies conspiracy to murder between 1 and 20 March last year.

The alleged murder plot was directed by someone with the online username "Agent 47", while another Norwegian teenager, "Generalen", acted as Natland's recruiter, the court heard.

Generalen was last month convicted in Norway of attempting, as part of the organised crime group Foxtrot, to contribute to the murder of an unknown person in England by recruiting Natland, while three others have also been charged, the jury was told.

In a message on 15 March last year, Natland asked Generalen, "Who is to be shot?" before telling his girlfriend he was "going on a crazy mission".

Natland flew into Manchester Airport on 17 March last year, when he was aged just 18 on a temporary passport.

He was questioned by Border Force officers - telling them he was meeting online gaming friends - and refused entry to the UK - but released on bail before the next flight back on 21 March.

The defendant took a taxi to a hotel in Manchester, and the following day, Agent 47 directed him a stash of cash hidden under a bridge in Huddersfield, which he used to pay for a room for three nights at the Briar Court Hotel.

Natland was then directed to another address and sent a video and map showing the route to the base of a tree, where he allegedly picked up the guns and ammunition.

On 18 March, he bought three pairs of workman-style black and orange gloves before being sent the location of a stolen car, while Agent 47 told him: "We have much to do tomorrow."

Police found £2,000 in cash in Natland's hotel room along with the guns and ammunition.

He gave 'no comment' when questioned by police, but told psychiatrists he thought he could use the money he would be paid to finance his drug habit, although he thought the whole thing might have been a scam.

Natland said he didn't "feel anything" when he saw the guns and planned to "shoot himself in the foot or something" as he was trying to look cool but didn't have the courage to shoot someone, the court heard.

The jury was told he has a history of suffering from a psychotic mental disorder and was discharged from a psychiatric unit six weeks before flying to England, but there is no defence that arises from his mental health.

He denies conspiracy to murder and the trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2026: Teen 'hitman' pretended to shoot armed police with imaginary gun when arrested