Actor's Airport Arrest Reveals Extremist Digital Hoard
A self-proclaimed Satanist actor who told police he made a pact with a 'red-horned devil' has been sentenced to 23 months in prison for possessing extreme right-wing terrorist material. Declan George Candiani, aged 26, was stopped by counter-terrorism officers at Stansted Airport in August last year as he prepared to travel to Finland on holiday with his girlfriend.
Schedule 7 Powers Uncover Disturbing Downloads
Officers used their Schedule 7 powers under terrorism legislation, which allows searches without reasonable suspicion, to examine Candiani's phone. The contents prompted his immediate arrest and a subsequent search of the home he shared with his mother in Streatham, south-west London. A forensic examination of his phone and iPad uncovered what the judge would later describe as "truly horrifying belief systems and associated material".
The devices contained manifestos of mass killers and documents advocating serious violence to achieve white supremacy. Among the material was the 'Hater's Handbook' from the Maniac Murder Cult, which promoted figures like mass killer Anders Breivik, and a document entitled '21 Silent Techniques of Killing' detailing assassination methods.
From Satanic Pacts to Neo-Nazi Symbolism
During police interviews, Candiani claimed he had a "possessed mindset" and had made a "pact with the devil" to become a "minion". The former Brit School of Performing Arts student told the court he became interested in the satanic group Order of Nine Angles, which has known links to right-wing extremism.
Prosecutors revealed Candiani had tattooed his body with Adolf Hitler symbols, including the neo-Nazi code '88' (meaning Heil Hitler) on his chest. He had also begun using the encrypted messaging platform Telegram under the username Ian Stuart 88, referencing the founder of a proscribed neo-Nazi group. The court heard he had applied to join the right-wing extremist group Active Club England but later got "cold feet".
Sentencing Candiani at the Old Bailey, Judge Nigel Lickley KC noted the defendant had downloaded a DIY guide for making a sheet metal firearm in April 2024 and had been watching programmes about massacres and mass shootings. The judge stated: "Examination of your devices revealed that from at least February 2024 you had accessed material because you adopted an extreme far-right mindset."
Mental Health and Mother's Illness
The court heard that Candiani's mental health had deteriorated after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Psychiatrists who assessed him found he had a mild personality disorder but was fit to stand trial. Experts agreed his symptoms were not psychosis but a manifestation of his personality.
Candiani told the court: "At that time I was dealing a lot with my mum and just hated the world and I was very angry and upset and hated everything and everyone." He described being visited in his bedroom by the devil, who appeared as "a big red man with horns".
In a letter to the judge, Candiani wrote that he had now rejected Satanism and far-right ideologies and had become a pagan who believes in Norse gods. Judge Lickley acknowledged the letter, noting Candiani's mother was terminally ill and receiving palliative care, and that the defendant claimed to have benefited from counselling.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, stated: "This is another example of why 'schedule 7' powers at our ports and borders are so important in helping us to identify potential terrorist activity. In this case, analysis of digital devices revealed downloads of horrific material promoted by extreme right-wing terrorist groups."
Candiani was found guilty in October of two charges of collecting information likely to be useful for terrorism and was acquitted of two similar offences. He received a 23-month prison sentence plus a year on licence for one charge, and 10 months' imprisonment with a year on licence for the second, to be served concurrently.
