Crossbow-wielding 'soldier of God' who tried to burn down 5G towers detained indefinitely

A crossbow-wielding arsonist who thought he was a “soldier of God” and tried to burn down 5G masts over a three-week, right wing-motivated campaign has been locked up indefinitely.

Professional artist Milo Creese, 40, fired a crossbow bolt through a woman’s window and assaulted two police officers in Surrey before he was arrested.

The Old Bailey heard Creese held an extreme mindset which involved a hatred of Muslims and a belief that some atrocities were linked to 5G masts.

Creese accepted doing the acts alleged against him, but claimed in his defence that he was mentally unwell at the time.

His barrister James Gray said he had a delusional belief system that there was a “lawless society” and he was a “soldier of God” on a mission to “save the world”.

Creese was cleared by reason of insanity of arson with intent to endanger life, two offences of arson, damaging property, having an offensive weapon in public and two assaults on an emergency worker.

The court was told Creese had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and continued to be treated in a mental health unit.

Following reports from two psychiatrists, Judge Richard Marks KC ordered Creese to be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.

Previously, prosecutor Lyndon Harris had outlined a series of planned acts of “very serious violence” which damaged the broadband network and could have resulted in fatalities.

The court heard how Creese set fire to an Indian restaurant in the early hours of 31 October 2025.

A member of the public had raised the alarm at 3.15am after spotting a smoking stick poking out of the letterbox at the 3 Rooms Indian Restaurant in Chertsey, Surrey.

The restaurant was on the ground floor and above it were two residential flats, but firefighters contained the fire, preventing anyone from being hurt.

Damage was caused to the front door, inside porch area and signage outside, but the fire did not spread further inside, the court heard.

An examination of the scene revealed a piece of burned cardboard with several small white balls and metal balls inside it had been put in the letterbox.

CCTV footage showed a barefoot man pushing it inside the letterbox and setting light to it, before running away and making off on a bicycle, the court heard.

At 11.31pm on 20 November, Creese targeted a telecommunications box at Spinney Hill, Addlestone.

A witness saw him running away from a fire against a large electrical tower, shouting: “Go away, it’s going to blow.”

After emergency services put out the fire, a black rucksack was recovered containing bacon rashers, ball bearings and compacted manure.

The following morning, a control room operator for a company monitoring CCTV at 5G mast locations saw a man light a bin bag and throw it into a compound before running off.

On reviewing the footage, the operator saw the man holding a crossbow in a black bag, and police were alerted.

Just nine minutes later – and before police could attend the incident involving 5G masts – Chertsey resident Hamaik Donsanjh telephoned the police.

She had been at home when she heard a loud bang and found a crossbow bolt had come through the window and into her hallway.

CCTV footage from her property captured Creese at her front gate firing the 15cm long black metal bolt into her home, damaging the windowpane.

Officers who had been called about the 5G mast fire attended the scene and tasered Creese as he ran away from them, but to no effect, the court was told.

During a struggle, Creese hit an officer with the crossbow, rather than firing a bolt at him, jurors heard.

A later examination of Creese’s computer revealed his extreme right-wing ideology including a desire for violence against Muslims, the court was told.

Mr Harris told jurors: “Mr Creese considered that there was a belief that there was some link between Islam and 5G cell masts, and atrocities that Mr Creese believed certain Muslim people were committing.

“It is for that reason, the prosecution case is that Mr Creese’s actions in setting fire to the various sites in this case were done with a terrorist motivation.”

Creese, of Murray Road, Ottershaw, Surrey, had denied the charges against him but declined to answer questions in police interview or give evidence in his trial.

The defendant, who attended court remotely from a mental health unit, had a history of heavy crystal meth drug abuse, but had never been in trouble with police before, the court had heard.