A man who hurled dustbins and taunted police with a makeshift knuckle duster during the Henry Novak protests in Southampton has pleaded guilty.
Daniel Frost, 44, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court today where he pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner.
A second man, 50-year-old Matt Styler, has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.
Both men are accused of taking part in the violent demonstrations that rocked Southampton on Tuesday evening.
The court heard how Frost had thrown dustbins at police officers during the protest in the Portswood area of the city on Tuesday evening.
Nola Bond, prosecuting, said: ‘He had around his neck a dog lead with a carabiner and wrapped it around his knuckles and taunted police officers to come and take it off him.’
The court was told that Frost had previously received 25 convictions for 55 offences, including an offence against the person in 2001, four public disorder offences between 2006 and 2011, offences of failing to surrender in 1999 and 2008, possession of a bladed article in 2009 and threatening and abusive behaviour in 2010 and 2011.
Oliver O’Connor, defending, said Frost had two children but lived alone with his dog.
Police clash with protesters in Southampton on Tuesday evening. Now, two men have been charged following the disorder
The protests in Southampton followed the murder of Henry Nowak (pictured) in December last year
He said: ‘He is at pains to tell the court of his shame of his involvement, one of the biggest regrets in his life.
‘He is a vulnerable man, he is in receipt of PIP (personal independence payment) as a result of a serious fall he had leading to a hip replacement.’
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District Judge Anthony Callaway sent the case to be sentenced at the city’s crown court after telling the court the offences were too serious for the powers of the magistrates’ court.
Frost, of Northam Road in Southampton, was remanded in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing to be held on July 16.
During Styler’s court appearance, the veteran soldier – who served with the Parachute Regiment – was accused of kicking a police sergeant during the Portswood disorder.
Judge Callaway said: ‘He has a wife and three children, has a previous military career, suffers PTSD and other difficulties.’
He remanded Styler, of no fixed abode from Gosport, in custody until a pre-trial hearing to be held at Southampton Crown Court on June 26.
Southampton was rocked by violent disorder on Tuesday which saw 11 police officers and a police dog injured.
Vickrum Digwa (pictured), 23, was jailed on Monday for a minimum of 21 years after he stabbed Henry to death
The unrest came after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed on Monday for a minimum of 21 years after he stabbed Henry to death last year.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police have come under intense scrutiny for their conduct after they handcuffed Henry and ignored his pleas that he had been stabbed and couldn’t breathe.
Digwa had lied to police that he had been the victim of a racist attack at the hands of Henry.
The incident is now being investigated by the police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the Chief Constable of the force, Alexis Boon, has apologised to Henry’s family.
Despite Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, making a plea outside the court on Monday for his son’s murder not to be used to ‘create further hatred, division or tension’, hundreds of people descended on Southampton on Tuesday – including far-right activists such as Tommy Robinson.
The protest started outside Southampton Police Station before moving closer to Digwa’s family home where bins were set on fire and residents’ cars were vandalised.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Sir Keir Starmer described the demonstrations as ‘disgraceful and completely unacceptable’.
The PM said: ‘Henry Nowak’s family have shown extraordinary dignity after their son’s life was stolen in appalling circumstances.
Protesters hurl bins at police officers during the unrest in Southampton on Tuesday
‘He was clearly a kind and thoughtful and much-loved young man.
‘There are serious questions to answer, including how accusations of racism informed police thinking, and we are supporting the IOPC to get to the bottom of what happened.
‘But no matter the pain we feel, there is no justification for more violence and disorder. The attacks directed towards police officers in Southampton last night were disgraceful and completely unacceptable.’
Sir Keir added that anyone found to have been involved in the disorder would meet ‘the full force of the law’.
Speaking after Frost and Styler were charged this morning, Sophie Stevens – Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex – said: ‘We have decided to prosecute Matt Styler with assault of an emergency worker.
‘Later our out of hours team CPS Direct also directed that Daniel Frost was charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon – this followed an investigation into alleged offending following protests held in Southampton on Tuesday evening.
‘Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
‘We have worked closely with Hampshire Police as it has carried out its investigation.’
