Denis Read, 28, has pleaded guilty to violent disorder and will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on 12 June. The charge relates to unrest that followed the release of body-worn camera footage showing 18-year-old Henry Nowak handcuffed as he lay dying. Eleven officers and a police dog were injured when objects were thrown at police. Two further arrests were made this week and those suspects have been bailed pending further inquiries.
Denis Read, 28, Pleads Guilty To Violent Disorder — 21st Charged Over Protest After Henry Nowak Bodycam Release
Police and protestors clashing in Southampton during a protest following the death of Henry Nowak [PA Media]
Denis Read, a 28-year-old resident of Addison Road, Sarisbury Green, has pleaded guilty to a single count of violent disorder after disturbances at a protest in Southampton following the release of police body-worn camera footage showing the dying student Henry Nowak handcuffed.
Read appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court and entered a guilty plea. His case was committed to Southampton Crown Court for sentencing on 12 June, and he was remanded in custody until that date.
Police said the unrest, which followed the authorised release of bodycam footage with the permission of the Nowak family, saw multiple missiles — including wheelie bins and chairs — thrown at officers. As a result, 11 police officers and a police dog were injured while attempting to restore order.
Hampshire Constabulary confirmed that this week a 16-year-old boy and a 39-year-old man, both from Southampton, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and subsequently released on bail until 8 September pending further inquiries. Twenty others have already been charged in connection with the protest on 2 June and remain in the court process.
The body-worn camera footage, published with the Nowak family's consent, shows 18-year-old Henry Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, handcuffed while dying after being stabbed. The attacker, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on 1 June.
The clashes with police occurred amid public scrutiny and debate over the circumstances of Nowak's arrest and why officers handcuffed him while he was critically injured. Authorities continue to investigate the events surrounding both the killing and the subsequent public disorder.
Note: All suspects are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until proven guilty in court.
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