Southampton Protest Violence Jails Five Men, Police and Council Face Significant Costs

Five men have been jailed for violent disorder that occurred during a protest in Southampton on 2 June. The demonstration followed the release of police body camera footage showing 18-year-old Henry Nowak handcuffed and dying after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who has since received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years.

Sentences Handed Down

Daniel Frost, 44, of Southampton, was sentenced to two years and four months. Reece Robinson, 21, of Havant, received a two-year sentence. Taylor Grundy, 22, of Gosport, was jailed for two and a half years. Andrew Summerhayes, 38, of Romsey, was imprisoned for three years and two months, and Dillon Crawford, 29, of Southampton, was handed a three-year jail term.

Judge William Mousley KC, who presided over the cases, characterised the violence as a "hate crime, borne out of hatred of the police and in some cases racist views." During the disorder, twelve police officers and a police dog sustained injuries, with protestors throwing missiles including wheelie bins and chairs.

Details of Offences and Costs

The court heard that Daniel Frost admitted possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon, throwing chairs and a bin. Reece Robinson, despite a clear record, threw stones or bricks at officers. Andrew Summerhayes, with 25 prior convictions, "rammed" a large bin into police lines. Taylor Grundy threw pieces of wood and pushed a communal wheelie bin towards officers. Dillon Crawford aggressively pushed towards retreating police, throwing a brown bin and a metal chair, and has 19 previous convictions, including a violent assault on a former partner.

Separately, Connor Bishop, 24, received a sentence of two years and eight months, and Leon O'Leary, 41, was jailed for three years and one month on Tuesday in connection with the same incident. The disorder incurred significant costs, with police expenditures for staffing and accommodation reaching £443,000, and Southampton City Council facing £6,700 in clean-up costs.

A total of 21 individuals have been charged in connection with the incident. The protest initially gathered outside the city centre police station before moving close to the Digwa family home. Digwa had initially lied to police, falsely claiming he was the victim of a racist attack, leading to Nowak's arrest instead of his assailant. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the police response.