Henry Nowak murder protesters get prison for 'hate crime' violence

Five men have been jailed for their involvement in the Southampton protest over the police handling of the Henry Nowak murder.

Daniel Frost, 44, a father-of-two from Southampton, was jailed for two years and four months for violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon - a dog lead with a metal carabiner which he had fashioned into a "makeshift knuckleduster".

Reece Robinson, 21, from Havant, Hampshire, was jailed for two years for violent disorder for throwing two stones or small bricks during the protest in the Portswood area on 2 June.

Andrew Summerhayes, 38, of Romsey, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for violent disorder and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

He chased down police officers who were trying to escape the violence, first with a large bin and then with a traffic cone.

Taylor Grundy, 22, of Gosport, was jailed for two years and six months for violent disorder after he threw a plank of wood at officers and helped others in pushing a large commercial bin that had been set alight towards the police cordon.

Dillon Crawford, 29, of Southampton, was sentenced to three years behind bars for violent disorder when he "enthusiastically and aggressively pushed his way to the front of the crowd" during the unrest, before throwing projectiles at officers, including a bin and a metal item.

All were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Wednesday, for their part in the violent disorder during a demonstration after the murder of Mr Nowak, an 18-year-old student.

Vickrum Digwa was sentenced for the murder Mr Nowak, and bodycam footage revealed how responding officers did not believe he had been stabbed.

Digwa claimed he had been the victim of a racial attack and Mr Nowak was handcuffed by police who ignored his pleas that he could not breathe as he lay dying.

Judge William Mousley KC said of the disorder: "This violence was a hate crime borne out of a hatred for police and in some part racist views.

"The impact on the community was profound, local residents were subjected to fear, distress and a genuine sense of danger."

Siobhan Linsley, prosecuting, previously told the court Frost was visible in police body-worn video wearing a camouflage face-covering as he threw chairs from a garden into the road in front of the officers.

She said the defendant then "somewhat ostentatiously wraps the rope around his arm and the clip around his hand, forming what the observing officers feared to be a handmade knuckle duster".

Describing Robinson's involvement, Ms Linsley said: "Mr Robinson was seen at the disorder on St Denys Road, he was topless with an orange high-vis vest around his neck obscuring his face.

"He bent down to pick up small stones or bricks on two occasions and throws them towards the police cordon."

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Summerhayes was "standing very close next to the line of police officers" as they were "surrounded on the pavement by a baying mob", Ms Linsley told the court.

The defendant was told to move out of officers' way as they tried to escape the crowd, but he resisted and was forcibly moved from their path.

He then picked up a large bin and ran with it, "seemingly intent on catching the police", but stumbled short of the officers' line and dropped the bin before picking up a traffic cone, Ms Linsley said.

Grundy threw a long plank of wood at police, before helping a group of people in pushing a large industrial bin that had been set alight towards officers.

During the disorder, Crawford threw several objects at police, including a bin and a metal object, with the judge noting: "The risk of serious injury was obvious and substantial, and your conduct materially added to the danger."

The five men's sentencing on Wednesday brings the total number of people jailed over the disorder to seven, following the sentencing of Leon O'Leary, 41, from Basingstoke, and Connor Bishop, 24, of Southampton, on Tuesday.

A total of 21 people have been charged with violent disorder following a demonstration of around 1,000 people outside central Southampton police station at 6pm on 2 June to protest against the circumstances around Mr Nowak's death and the actions of police.

(c) Sky News 2026: Henry Nowak murder protesters get prison for 'hate crime' violence