Two men have been jailed for their roles in last week's violent disturbance in Southampton that saw a "baying mob" surround police and hurl projectiles in the wake of the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Sentencing at Southampton Crown Court
Daniel Frost, 44, and Reece Robinson, 21, were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court after a protest in the Portswood area of the city on Tuesday, June 2, escalated into open violence against law enforcement. Eleven officers and one police dog were injured during the night of chaos, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed.
Presiding Judge William Mousley KC condemned the actions, characterising the unrest as a targeted attack. "This violence was a hate crime borne out of a hatred for police and in some part racist views," Judge Mousley stated during sentencing, adding that the disorder left local residents facing "fear, distress, and a genuine sense of danger".
Details of the Offences
The court heard that Frost, a father of two from Southampton, was captured on police body-worn video wearing a camouflage face-covering while throwing garden chairs into the path of advancing officers. Prosecutor Siobhan Linsley noted that Frost then "somewhat ostentatiously" wrapped a dog lead around his arm and fashioned a metal carabiner clip over his knuckles to create a makeshift weapon. When challenged, Frost taunted officers, boasting that it would take four of them to remove it and threatening that the surrounding crowd would "f*** you right up".
Following his arrest, Frost reportedly dismissed the disorder as "a big party" and insulted an interviewing officer. The court was told Frost has an extensive criminal record, with 25 previous convictions for 55 offences, including violent robbery, grievous bodily harm (GBH), and weapons violations. He was sentenced to two years and four months for violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.
Co-defendant Reece Robinson, of Havant, received a two-year sentence for violent disorder. The court heard Robinson was spotted on St Denys Road, shirtless with an orange high-visibility vest wrapped around his face to obscure his identity. Footage showed Robinson bending down to retrieve small stones or bricks, which he then threw at the police cordon. Upon arrest, Robinson, who has no prior convictions, told officers: "I didn’t really do much."
Other Sentencings
Frost and Robinson are the third and fourth individuals to be imprisoned this week in connection with the Southampton unrest. On Tuesday, Leon O’Leary, 41, of Basingstoke, was jailed for three years and one month for violent disorder, resisting arrest, and the possession of a samurai sword found in his bedroom. Connor Bishop, 24, of Southampton, was also sentenced to two years and eight months for his role in the violent disorder.
