Three men including two serving British soldiers appeared in court yesterday accused of joining a banned fascist organisation.

Lance Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, Private Mark Barrett and civilian Alexander Deaking appeared at the Central Criminal Court via video-link for a preliminary hearing.

The trio are accused of being members of neonazi group National Action, which became the first far-right group to be banned in Britain due to its “racist, anti-semitic and homophobic” ideology.

It is alleged they were part of a chat group where racist messages were exchanged, including plans for a white-only Britain and race war.

Mr Vehvilainen is charged with possessing a document containing information likely to be useful for terrorism and publishing threatening, abusive or insulting material.

He allegedly posted comments on a white supremacist website intending to stir up racial hatred and had a copy of a manifesto written by Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Breivik.

Mr Barrett faces a single charge of membership of National Action, contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000.

Judge Justice Holroyde ordered the men to appear at a plea hearing at Birmingham Crown Court in January 2018 with a provisional trial date set for March 5.