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Two men have been jailed for violent disorder at a protest in Southampton following the murder of Henry Nowak.

Connor Bishop, 24, was sentenced to two years and eight months and Leon O’Leary, 41, was jailed for three years and one month. Both pleaded guilty to violent disorder at a previous hearing.

They are the first people to be sentenced after violence last Tuesday night saw 11 police officers and a police dog injured as missiles including wheelie bins and chairs were thrown.

The protest happened after police bodycam footage was released showing Nowak, 18, handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years.

A total of 21 people, including Bishop, from Southampton, and O’Leary, from Basingstoke, have been charged in connection with the disorder.

Sikh Digwa stabbed Nowak with a large blade he said he carried for religious reasons, then lied to police at the scene, falsely claiming he was the victim of a racist attack, leading officers to arrest Nowak instead of his killer.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has since launched an investigation into the force’s response.

BBC News

A 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to violent disorder after becoming the 21st person to be charged following a protest over the murder of Henry Nowak.

It followed the release of police bodycam footage showing the 18-year-old Southampton student handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed.

Denis Read, of Addison Road, Sarisbury Green, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court where he entered his plea to the single charge. His case was sent to Southampton Crown Court for sentencing on 12 June and he was remanded in custody until then.

Eleven police officers and a police dog were injured as missiles including wheelie bins and chairs were thrown at officers.

Hampshire Constabulary said on Tuesday that a 16-year-old boy from Southampton and a 39-year-old man from the city had been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and had been bailed until September 8 pending further inquiries.

Twenty others have been charged in relation to the protest on 2 June and are in the court process.

It happened after the bodycam video was released with permission from the Nowak family.

It showed Henry Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa who was jailed for life on 1 June for murder.

The clashes with police came amid tensions and scrutiny over why officers arrested and handcuffed Nowak.

BBC News

Eight men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder following a protest in Southampton over the murder of Henry Nowak.

The charges relate to incidents of disorder on Tuesday 2 June, in which eleven police officers and a police dog were injured as missiles including wheelie bins and chairs were thrown at officers in Southampton.

The protest happened after police bodycam footage was released showing Nowak, 18, from Essex, handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was jailed for life on 1 June.

Hampshire Constabulary said a total of 20 people had now been charged following the protests.

Nine people appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Jordan Hambleton, 19, of Rollesbrook Gardens, Southampton pleaded guilty to violent disorder in Southampton on 2 June.

Leon O’Leary, 41 and of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He also pleaded guilty to obstructing/resisting a constable and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place on Sunday in Basingstoke.

Tyler Burley, 18, of Shakespeare Avenue in Southampton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Darren Medhurst, 36, of Carnation Road Southampton, also pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

All four will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday.

Benjamin Jones, 23, of Locksley Road in Eastleigh, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Harley Haynes, 23, of Avenue Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Callum Darch, 27, of St Blaize Road, Romsey, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Mariusz Szczyglo, 45 of Grove Road in Southampton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

The four will all be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Kamil Josef Klonek, 33, of Lordswood Road in Southampton, who is charged with violent disorder, entered no plea.

The court heard he is alleged to have thrown a beer can towards police on 2 June.

He will appear at Southampton Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on Thursday.

Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December by Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused and had acted in self-defence.

He was a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton.

BBC News

Two men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder following a protest in Southampton over the murder of Henry Nowak.

Earlier police said a further six men have been charged in relation to the incident in which eleven police officers and a police dog were injured as missiles including wheelie bins and chairs were thrown at officers on Tuesday 2 June.

The protest happened after police bodycam footage was released showing Nowak, 18, from Essex, handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was jailed for life on 1 June.

Hampshire police said 20 people had now been charged following the protests.

Three people appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday and a further six are due before the court later.

Jordan Hambleton, 19, of Rollesbrook Gardens, Southampton pleaded guilty to violent disorder in Southampton on 2 June. He will be sentenced on Tuesday.

Leon O’Leary, 41 and of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He also pleaded guilty to obstructing/resisting a constable and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place on Sunday in Basingstoke. He will be sentenced on Tuesday at Southampton Crown Court.

Kamil Josef Klonek, 33, of Lordswood Road in Southampton, who is charged with violent disorder, entered no plea. The court heard he is alleged to have thrown a beer can towards police on 2 June. He will appear at Southampton Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on Thursday.

Those charged and due to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court later are:

Benjamin Jones, 23, of Locksley Road, Eastleigh, who has been charged with violent disorder.

Tyler Burley, 18, of Shakespeare Avenue, Southampton, charged with violent disorder.

Mariusz Szczyglo, 45, of Grove Road, Southampton, charged with violent disorder.

Harley Haynes, 23, of Avenue Road, Southampton, charged with affray.

Two other men were charged on Sunday with violent disorder and will appear in court later:

Darren Medhurst, 36, of Carnation Road, Southampton

Callum Darch, 27, of St Blaize Road, Romsey

Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December by Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused and had acted in self-defence.

He was a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton.

BBC News

Three more men have been charged – and four men and a teenage girl arrested – following protests in Southampton over the murder of Henry Nowak.

Eleven police officers and a police dog were injured as missiles including wheelie bins and chairs were thrown in the city on Tuesday.

The protests erupted after police bodycam footage showing 18-year-old Nowak being placed in handcuffs was released after he had been stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was jailed for life on Monday.

Hampshire police said Darren Medhurst, 36, and Jordan Hambleton,19, from Southampton, and Callum Darch, 27, from Romsey, have all been charged with violent disorder, bringing the total number of people charged to 14.

The three men most recently charged have been remanded into custody and are due to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The force said four further men had been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder – three from Southampton aged 18, 34 and 45, along with a 41-year-old man from Basingstoke. They all remain in police custody.

A 16-year-old girl from the city, also arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, has been released on conditional police bail pending further inquiries.

To date, eight men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder, with one also having a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon. One man has denied assaulting a police officer.

On Saturday, Harry Varney, 34, and Dillon Crawford, 29, of Southampton, Taylor Grundy, 22, of Gosport and Andrew Summerhayes, 38, of Romsey, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court.

They all admitted violent disorder and Summerhayes also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

In a separate hearing, Kevin Reeves, 31, and Andrew Riddett, 38, both from Southampton entered no plea to charges of violent disorder.

Connor Bishop, 24 from Southampton and Reece Robinson, 21, and Noah Etherington, 18, from Havant admitted violent disorder during magistrates’ court hearings in Southampton and Portsmouth on Friday.

Daniel Frost, 44, of Southampton, pleaded guilty on Thursday to violent disorder and possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon following the protests.

Also on Thursday, 50-year-old Matt Styler, of Gosport, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.

Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December by Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused and had acted in self-defence.

Nowak was a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton.

BBC News

Four more men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder following protests held in Southampton after the murder of Henry Nowak.

Hampshire Police said earlier it had charged six more men, in their 20s and 30s – four from Southampton, one from Gosport and Romsey – after disorder in the city on Tuesday night.

The protests followed the release of police bodycam footage showing 18-year-old Nowak being placed in handcuffs after he had been stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was jailed for life on Monday.

All six appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. This brings the total number of people charged following the protests to 11.

Earlkier on Saturday, Hampshire Police said the following five men had been charged with violent disorder:

Kevin Reeves, 31, of Portswood Road, Southampton

Andrew Riddett, 38, of Seacombe Green, Southampton

Harry Varney, 34, of Briarswood, Southampton

Taylor Grundy, 22, of Pavillion Way, Gosport

Dillon Crawford, 29, of Wilton Avenue, Southampton

A sixth man, Andrew Summerhayes, 38, of Banning Street, Romsey, was charged with violent disorder and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Summerhayes, Crawford, Varney and Grundy pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Southampton Magistrates Court earlier. Varney and Grundy’s bail applications have been denied.

Summerhayes further pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing an offensive weapon, which were a wheelie bin and a traffic cone. He made no application for bail.

No pleas have been entered for Reeves and Riddett, and no bail application was made for the them.

All six are due to appear at Southampton Crown Court on Wednesday.

To date eight men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder, with one also having a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon. One man has denied assaulting a police officer.

Connor Bishop, 24, Reece Robinson, 21, and Noah Etherington, 18, admitted violent disorder during magistrates’ court hearings in Southampton and Portsmouth on Friday.

Daniel Frost, 44, of Southampton, pleaded guilty on Thursday to violent disorder and possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon following the protests.

Also on Thursday, 50-year-old Matt Styler, of Gosport, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.

Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December by Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused and had acted in self-defence.

Nowak was a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton.

BBC News

Three men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder following protests held in Southampton after the murder of Henry Nowak.

Connor Bishop, 24, Reece Robinson, 21, and Noah Etherington, 18, all admitted to the charge during magistrates’ court hearings in Southampton and Portsmouth.

They had been arrested after protests on Tuesday night that followed the release of police bodycam footage showing 18-year-old Nowak being placed in handcuffs after he had been stabbed by 23-year-old killer Vickrum Digwa.

Bishop, from Southampton, and Robinson and Etherington, both from Havant, have been remanded in custody to be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.

Prosecutor Kevin Lucie told Southampton Magistrates’ Court that CCTV footage showed Bishop “picking up and throwing a traffic cone” towards police.

Portsmouth Magistrates’ heard that Etherington was captured in multiple clips near the police line and threw a brick in the direction of officers.

Daniel Frost, 44, of Southampton, pleaded guilty on Thursday to violent disorder and possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon following the protests.

A second man, 50-year-old Matt Styler, of Gosport, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.

The treatment of Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, triggered a political row, with the prime minister urging politicians to heed the teenager’s relatives’ calls not to use the case “to cause disturbances”.

Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years on Monday.

BBC News

A man has pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon after protesters clashed with police near the site of 18-year-old Henry Nowak’s fatal stabbing.

Daniel Frost, of Northam Road, Southampton, threw dustbins at police officers during the protest on Tuesday evening, Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard.

He also admitted possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon.

The 44-year-old, who has 25 previous convictions for 55 offences, was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on 16 July.

The court heard Frost’s previous offending included four instances of public disorder and possession of a blade.

Oliver O’Connor, defending, said the father of two, who lives alone with his dog, was “at pains to tell the court of his shame of his involvement, one of the biggest regrets in his life”.

Police were pelted with missiles during the disorder near the home of Nowak’s killer, Vickrum Digwa, in the Portswood area of Southampton.

Eleven officers and one police dog were injured.

Protesters voiced anger that Nowak was arrested and handcuffed in December as he told police he had been stabbed and could not breathe.

Digwa had lied to officers by telling them he had been racially abused by Nowak.

A short time later, officers realised the student, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, had been stabbed in the chest. He died at the scene.

Nola Bond, prosecuting, told the court Frost had thrown dustbins and a chair at police.

She added: “He had around his neck a dog lead with a carabiner and wrapped it around his knuckles and taunted police officers to come and take it off him.”

District Judge Anthony Callaway sent the case to be sentenced at the city’s crown court after explaining the offences were too serious for the powers of the magistrates’ court.

Frost was charged along with Matt Styler, 50, of Orange Grove, Gosport, who pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.

The court heard veteran soldier Styler, who served with the parachute regiment, was accused of kicking a police sergeant.

He was remanded in custody until a pre-trial hearing to be held at Southampton Crown Court on 26 June.

BBC News