Two Havant men admit violent disorder during protests in Southampton following murder of Henry Nowak
Violence flared during protests
Two Havant men have admitted violent disorder during protests in Southampton following the murder of Henry Nowak.
Reece Robinson, 21, of Soberton Road, Havant, and Noah Etherington, 18, of Rowbury Road, Havant, both pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday to violent disorder, a courts official said.
The two were remanded into custody and will be sentenced on Monday at Southampton Crown Court.
Gosport man, Matt Styler, 50, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer during the protests.
Meanwhile Connor Bishop, 24, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Friday afternoon.
Prosecutor Kevin Lucie said CCTV footage showed Bishop “picking up and throwing a traffic cone” at police during a protest following the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa for the murder of 18-year-old Mr Nowak in December.
Violent protests erupted after Digwa claimed he had been the victim of a racial attack, while Mr Nowak was handcuffed by police who ignored his pleas that he could not breathe as he lay dying.
Mr Lucie said Bishop attended a protest at Southampton Central Police Station on Tuesday evening with a large group of people and was among those who followed retreating police officers.
The prosecutor added that Bishop, of Oxford Street, Southampton, became part of the disorder with several of the group throwing wheelie bins at police.
The court heard that Bishop “refused to come up” from the cells for his court hearing and a guilty plea was entered by his lawyer Will Day.
District Judge Anthony Callaway remanded Bishop in custody and he will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.
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.