Southampton Disorder: Three Men Jailed for Violence at Henry Nowak Protest
Three additional men have been incarcerated for their involvement in violent disorder during a protest in Southampton, following the murder of Henry Nowak. This brings the total number of individuals jailed for last week's unrest to 13. The incidents resulted in injuries to 12 police officers and a police dog.
Denis Read, 28, of Addison Road, Sarisbury Green, received a sentence of two years and two months. Harry Varney, 24, of Briarswood, Southampton, was sentenced to two years and eight months. Benjamin Jones, 23, of Locksley Road, Eastleigh, received a three-year sentence. All three admitted their culpability at Southampton Magistrates' Court and were sentenced by Judge William Mousley KC at Southampton Crown Court.
The protest, which took place on 2 June, was sparked by the release of police bodycam footage depicting 18-year-old Nowak in handcuffs as he succumbed to stab wounds inflicted by Vickrum Digwa. Digwa, 23, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder. Mariusz Szczyglo, 45, of Grove Road, Southampton, has had his sentencing adjourned until 30 June.
The financial impact of the disorder was significant, with police costs for staffing and accommodation amounting to £443,000. Southampton City Council incurred £6,700 in clean-up expenses. To date, 22 individuals have faced charges in connection with the incident, which saw crowds gather outside the city centre police station before moving towards the Digwa family residence.
In December 2025, Digwa used a large blade to stab Nowak, claiming it was carried for reasons of his Sikh faith. He subsequently provided false information to officers at the scene, alleging he was the victim of a racist attack. This deception led to Nowak's arrest rather than that of his killer. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has since initiated an investigation into the police force's response to the incident.
