Tommy Mair
Tommy Mair
Tommy Mair is a British citizen and resident of Birstall, England, a small town in Yorkshire.
Mair was described by locals as a loner.
Personal Life
Mair lived in his grandmother's house on Lowood Lane in Birstall for the last 40 years.
After his grandmother passed away 20 years ago he began helping people with computers at the library to earn money, but never held a full-time job.
Additionally in a newspaper interview in 2010 he stated he had mental illness and that his volunteer work helped him.
"I can honestly say it has done me more good than all the psychotherapy and medication in the world.
Many people who suffer from mental illness are socially isolated and disconnected from society, feelings of worthlessness are also common mainly caused by long-term unemployment.
All these problems are alleviated by doing voluntary work.
Getting out of the house and meeting new people is a good thing, but more important in my view is doing physically demanding and useful labour.
When you have finished there is a feeling of achievement which is emotionally rewarding and psychologically fulfilling.
For people for whom full-time, paid employment is not possible for a variety of reasons, voluntary work offers a socially positive and therapeutic alternative."
Allegations
He is charged with the stabbing and shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox. On June 16, 2016 he approached her outside the Birstall library stabbed her and shot her three times with what was described as a homemade gun. Another man was injured in the event when he tried to intervene. During the attack Mair reportedly shouted "Britain First."
She was taken to the hospital but died a few hours later.
Mair was arrested shortly after the attack on Market Street nearby the library.