Three more people plead guilty to violent disorder over Henry Nowak murder protests

Three more people have been pleaded guilty to violent disorder after protests in Southampton over the way police handled the murder of student Henry Nowak.

Connor Bishop, 24, of Southampton, Reece Robinson, 21, and Noah Etherington, 18, both of Havant, had been charged with violent disorder.

All three admitted the crime at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Friday. Bishop had thrown a traffic cone at police during the protest.

The defendants have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.

The court heard that Bishop "refused to come up" from the cells for his court hearing and a guilty plea was entered by his lawyer Will Day.

Mr Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, was stabbed to death on 3 December 2025 while walking home after a night out with friends in Southampton.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years on Monday for murdering the 18-year-old university student with a ceremonial knife with an eight-inch (21cm) blade, which he claimed he carried for his Sikh religion.

Digwa had falsely told police at the scene he had been racially abused, prompting officers to handcuff the teenager as he lay dying. Police ignored Mr Nowak's pleas that he could not breathe.

Anger erupted after police body-worn video footage was released following the trial showing Mr Nowak being handcuffed moments before he became unconscious and later died.

Violent clashes

Demonstrators clashed with police on Tuesday night near where the student was fatally stabbed.

Chairs, cans and flares were thrown at police in riot gear, eventually forcing officers and three police vans back from the line they had been holding.

Eleven officers and a police dog were injured during the violence.

On Thursday, Daniel Frost, 44, of Southampton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing a dog lead with a metal carabiner as an offensive weapon following the protests.

A second man, 50-year-old Matt Styler, of Gosport, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.

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Political row

The treatment of the 18-year-old student sparked a political row - with Sir Keir Starmer urging politicians to heed the teenager's relatives' calls not to use the case "to cause disturbances".

The prime minister met Mr Nowak's family on Thursday, saying he was "profoundly humbled" to have had a private conversation with them in Downing Street.

Sir Keir urged the country to choose unity over hatred, adding Mr Nowak "deserves a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy".

The PM previously called Nigel Farage's response to the tragedy "unforgiveable".

It came after the Reform UK leader was accused by his political opponents of stoking racial tensions with his remarks that Mr Nowak's murder should be met with "rage".

Mr Farage fired back at the criticism, stating he condemned "all violence" and had agreed to meet Mr Nowak's family.

Anti-racism guidance reviewed

Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) is to review anti-racism guidance - which advises police to treat ethnic minorities differently to get them better outcomes - that some have blamed for the actions of the officers who arrested Mr Nowak.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France, of Hampshire Constabulary, apologised on behalf of the officers, but said they were "lied to" and would have been unaware of Mr Nowak's injuries which he said would not have been obvious.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is looking into the policing in Mr Nowak's case.

IOPC director Derrick Campbell said: "This investigation is going to fully establish the circumstances of the case including whether there may be misconduct on the part of any of the officers involved."

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Investigators are examining a large amount of body-worn video as well as material presented during Digwa's trial.

Hampshire Police has said one of the officers involved in the case has resigned, while the other three are still serving. All of them are being treated as witnesses.

(c) Sky News 2026: Three more people plead guilty to violent disorder over Henry Nowak murder protests