A family with neo-Nazi affiliations, known for performing racist and antisemitic songs advocating violence against their enemies, has been sentenced to prison. Robert Talland, aged 59 and residing in Waltham Abbey, along with his children Stephen Talland, aged 36 from Harlow, and Rosie Talland, aged 33, were active participants in the neo-Nazi Blood & Honour music network, an organization that promoted hate through the performances of far-right bands.
The trio organized concerts that prominently featured Nazi symbols and flags. During a performance at the Corpus Christi Club in Leeds on September 21, 2019, where Robert’s children sang racially charged songs, attendees were seen making Nazi salutes in response, as revealed in Woolwich Crown Court.
Robert was the driving force behind his children’s band, Embers Of An Empire, and played a central role in the “Blood & Honour” network. Judge Andrew Lees remarked that the trio demonstrated a deep-rooted allegiance to the neo-Nazi cause, evident through their dissemination of racist and antisemitic content on social media.
In addition to their music activities, Robert operated a record label called Rampage Productions, which distributed CDs by neo-Nazi groups containing incendiary lyrics inciting racial violence. The court detailed lyrics from their songs encouraging violence and hatred towards specific groups.
The 2019 concert also served as a memorial for Ian Stuart Donaldson, the frontman of Skrewdriver and founder of Blood & Honour, who passed away in 1993. Blood & Honour, known for promoting racist and antisemitic violence, faced legal action in the UK earlier this year due to suspected terror connections.
The court found Robert, Stephen, and Rosie Talland guilty of various charges related to inciting racial hatred and disseminating extremist material. The arrests came after a year-long investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North East, which uncovered a significant amount of neo-Nazi material at Talland’s residence.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley condemned the family’s actions, emphasizing the dangerous impact of promoting hatred and violence within society. The sentences handed down include four years for Robert, two years for Stephen, and 18 months for Rosie, reflecting the severity of their offenses.
Frank Ferguson from the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division reiterated that while freedom of expression is important, encouraging terrorist acts and spreading racist ideologies are criminal acts. The family’s intent to incite racial hatred and violence through their music was deemed unacceptable, resulting in their imprisonment.