Family jailed for sharing terrorist material

Three members of the same family have been jailed for a series of racial hatred and terrorism offences.

Following a nine-week trial in June, Robert Talland, 59, his son Stephen, 36, and daughter Rosie, 33, from Essex, were found guilty of multiple charges of stirring up racial hatred.

Robert Talland was a leader of the ‘Blood & Honour’ neo-Nazi movement, which organised music festivals and sold merchandise for far right and extreme right wing rock bands. He was also a producer for the music label ‘Rampage Productions’ which distributed CDs for white power music bands. His children played for the band ‘Embers of an Empire’ which Robert managed.

The trio were arrested on 1 October 2020, after a year-long investigation by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North East.

The trial heard that Robert Talland had organised a gig at the Corpus Christi Club in Leeds on September 21, 2019, at which ‘Embers of an Empire’ performed songs which called for racist violence. CCTV footage showed people at the gig making Nazi salutes.

During searches of Robert's home, officers found hundreds of CDs from white power bands which he was distributing under his record label, as well as Blood & Honour merchandise and banners covered in neo-Nazi imagery.

Robert was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment and will spend a further year on licence. In addition, he received a 10 year Terrorism Notification Order and was ordered to pay court costs from the cash seized at his home address.

Stephen Talland was sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment, and Rosie Talland 18 months.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: “Robert, Stephen and Rosie Talland were part of a network of hatred which had encouraged violence and extreme right wing terrorism across Europe for decades.

“Robert Talland dismissed the group as an ‘old man’s drinking club’, but through the gigs and events they organised, they promoted music which glorified acts of murder to audiences which included young children. In doing so, they encouraged attitudes of hatred, intolerance and violence which have no place in our society."