Three additional men face charges of violent disorder after protests erupted in Southampton following the release of police footage showing fatally stabbed student Henry Nowak in handcuffs. The total charged rises to 14, with multiple guilty pleas and ongoing investigations.
Three additional men have been charged with violent disorder following the civil unrest in Southampton that erupted after the release of police body-worn camera footage showing the final moments of murdered 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 each charged with violent disorder and remanded in custody. They are scheduled to appear before Southampton Magistrates' Court on Monday. This brings the total number of individuals charged in connection with the disturbances to 14.
The unrest began on Tuesday evening shortly after Hampshire Police released footage depicting 18-year-old Henry Nowak being handcuffed by officers moments after he had been fatally stabbed. The video sparked immediate outrage and led to protests in the Portswood area of Southampton, where violence escalated and objects including wheelie bins, chairs, and other missiles were hurled at police officers. Eleven Hampshire Police officers and a police dog sustained injuries during the melee.
The protests occurred just one day after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder of Henry Nowak in December. The confrontation that led to the disturbances was fueled by anger over the police handling of the incident.
Digwa, who had falsely claimed he was the victim of a racial attack and had acted in self-defense, 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 a focal point of political debate, 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 to violent disorder offenses linked to the protests. The demonstration began outside Southampton Police Station before moving toward the home of Digwa's family. During the disorder, bins were set alight and several vehicles belonging to residents were vandalized.
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.
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 apologized 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 criticized by Downing Street. The ongoing legal proceedings and community reactions continue to unfold, with further arrests and court appearances expected as the investigation into the disturbances proceeds
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