A 16-year-old girl has been arrested after violent disorder erupted in Southampton following the murder of student Henry Nowak.
Darren Medhurst, 36, of Carnation Road, Southampton, Jordan Hambleton, 19, of Rollesbrook Gardens, Southampton, and Callum Darch, 27, of St Blaize Road, Romsey, were charged today over the anti-police protest and remanded in custody.
The trio are due to appear before Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday – bringing the total number of people charged in connection with the unrest to 14.
A teenage girl has now been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder but released on bail, pending further enquiries.
Four other men have been arrested by police on suspicion of violent disorder, aged between 18 and 45 years old.
The disorder broke out on Tuesday evening after the release of police body–worn camera footage showing 18–year–old Henry Nowak being handcuffed by officers moments after he had been fatally stabbed.
The footage sparked outrage and led to protests in the Portswood area of Southampton, where violence flared and missiles including wheelie bins, chairs and other objects were hurled at police officers.
Eleven Hampshire Police officers and a police dog were injured during the disturbances.
The unrest came just a day after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for murdering Mr Nowak in December.
The protests in Southampton followed the murder of Henry Nowak (pictured) in December last year
Protesters hurl bins at police officers during the unrest in Southampton on Tuesday
Digwa, who had falsely claimed he was the victim of a racial attack and had acted in self–defence, stabbed the first–year accountancy and finance student from Chafford Hundred, Essex, during an altercation in Southampton.
Anger intensified after the release of footage showing Mr Nowak in handcuffs shortly before he lost consciousness.
The case has since become the focus of a political row, with Sir Keir Starmer urging politicians to respect the wishes of the teenager’s family and not use the tragedy to inflame tensions.
So far, eight men have admitted violent disorder offences linked to the protests.
The protest began outside Southampton Police Station before moving towards the home of Digwa’s family. During the disorder, bins were set alight and several vehicles belonging to residents were vandalised.
On Saturday, Harry Varney, 34, of Southampton, Taylor Grundy, 22, of Gosport, Dillon Crawford, 29, of Southampton, and Andrew Summerhayes, 38, of Romsey, all pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Southampton Magistrates’ Court.
Summerhayes also admitted two counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Prosecutor Robert Salame told the court that Crawford allegedly used ‘large items including bins and chairs’ against police officers, while Summerhayes was accused of throwing objects at officers.
Vickrum Digwa (pictured), 23, was jailed on Monday for a minimum of 21 years after he stabbed Henry to death
Police clash with protesters in Southampton on Tuesday evening
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Six more men are charged with violent disorder after ‘riot’ following murder of Henry Nowak
Varney was said to have refused police instructions to move and pushed against officers’ shields, while Grundy allegedly wheeled a large industrial bin towards police lines.
The four men were remanded in custody and are due to appear before Southampton Crown Court on Wednesday.
In separate proceedings, Kevin Reeves, 31, of Portswood Road, Southampton, and Andrew Riddett, 38, of Seacombe Green, Southampton, entered no pleas to charges of violent disorder.
Reeves is accused of using a traffic cone and other large objects against police, while Riddett allegedly spat at an officer, behaved aggressively and encouraged others to attack police during the disorder.
Both were remanded in custody ahead of a Crown Court hearing on Wednesday.
Earlier court hearings heard admissions from Connor Bishop, 24, of Southampton, Reece Robinson, 21, and Noah Etherington, 18, both of Havant, who all pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Daniel Frost, 44, of Southampton, also admitted violent disorder and possessing a dog lead fitted with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon.
Meanwhile, Matt Styler, 50, of Gosport, denied assaulting a police officer.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police is now the subject of an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), while Chief Constable Alexis Boon has publicly apologised to Henry’s family.
The release of CCTV and body-worn camera footage has attracted international attention, with the US State Department commenting on the case and calling for what it described as ‘two–tiered policing’ to be rejected in western countries.
Earlier in the week, US Vice President JD Vance sparked a diplomatic row after posting on social media about the case, expressing support for what he described as ‘righteous anger’ and linking Henry’s murder to migration. His comments were criticised by Downing Street.
Speaking in the Commons following the unrest, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the violence as ‘disgraceful and completely unacceptable’ and said those responsible would face ‘the full force of the law’.
