Jail for Southampton Henry Nowak murder protesters

Two more 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 at Southampton Crown Court.

He was sent to prison 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, was jailed for two years for violent disorder.

He was sentenced for throwing two stones or small bricks during the protest in the Portswood area on 2 June.

The sentences were for their part in the violent disorder during a demonstration after the murder of Mr Nowak, an 18-year-old student.

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 genuine sense of danger."

Siobhan Linsley, prosecuting, previously told the court that Frost was visible in police body-worn video shown to the court 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".

Ms Linsley added: "In response to hearing this, the defendant said it was a dog lead but repeatedly invited the officers to come and take it from him."

After he was arrested, Frost described the disorder as "a big party", said Ms Linsley.

She said that Frost had 25 previous convictions for 55 offences, including a six-year sentence for robbery and GBH, weapons offences, public order offences and burglary offences.

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."

She added that when Robinson, who has no previous convictions or cautions, was arrested, he told officers: "I didn't really do much."

Judge Mousley, turning to Robinson, said: "You were present throughout the violence and could have left at any time.

"You have brought shame to your family."

Bridget O'Hagan, defending, told the judge in mitigation that Robinson's involvement was "totally out of character" and borne out of a "moment of madness".

Frost and Robinson were the third and fourth men to be jailed following the sentencing of Leon O'Leary, 41, from Basingstoke, and Connor Bishop, 24, of Southampton, on Tuesday.

O'Leary was jailed at the same court for three years and one month for violent disorder, resisting a police officer and possession of an offensive weapon - a samurai sword in his bedroom.

Bishop was jailed for two years and eight months for violent disorder.

(c) Sky News 2026: Jail for Southampton Henry Nowak murder protesters