A British courtroom has handed down significant prison terms to three more individuals involved in the destructive rioting that gripped Southampton. The violent disturbances erupted in the wake of the public release of police body-worn camera footage, which captured the agonizing final moments of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, who was kept in handcuffs by officers as he succumbed to fatal stab wounds.

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court, 36-year-old Darren Medhurst received a sentence of three years and three months behind bars. His co-defendants, Callum Darch, 27, and Harley Haynes, 23, were each ordered to serve two and a half years in prison.

During the proceedings, Judge William Mousley KC condemned the actions of the rioters, emphasizing that local communities were subjected to intense anxiety, trauma, and an imminent threat to their safety. The judge firmly categorized the lawlessness as a hate crime, driven by an aggressive animosity toward law enforcement and, in certain instances, deeply rooted racist ideologies.

The prosecution, led by Edward Culver, detailed how Medhurst assumed a pivotal, instigative position during the riots. He was caught on camera hurling projectiles at law enforcement personnel and setting fire to a waste bin before it was shoved directly toward police lines. Medhurst, whose criminal record boasts 96 prior offenses across 51 convictions, received the harshest penalty of the unrest to date.

Meanwhile, Haynes, disguised in a dark hood, was seen throwing numerous missiles, including a brick and shards of glass that shattered near a lamppost, raining debris onto the crowd. Despite his defense arguing the act was a spontaneous, isolated lapse in judgment, his history of 21 prior offenses weighed against him. The third defendant, Darch, escalated the chaos by hurling a large wheelie bin straight at officers, a hostile move that prosecutors argued successfully incited the surrounding mob to escalate their aggression.

The courtroom also saw Kamil Josef Klonek, 33, become the first among 21 accused individuals to enter a not-guilty plea; he was denied bail pending his late November trial. Additionally, the sentencing of 18-year-old Tyler Burley was pushed back to late June for behavioral assessments.

Impact statements from the targeted police officers painted a chilling picture, with one comparing the mob’s terrifying behavior to a “blood sport.” Officers confessed to fearing for their lives, noting that targeted threats against the department have persisted long after the streets were cleared. These three men join a growing list of individuals sentenced earlier in the week, with terms ranging from two to over three years.

The genesis of the June 2 riot traces back to a demonstration outside the central police station that rapidly migrated toward the residence of Vickrum Digwa. In December 2025, Digwa had fatally stabbed Nowak, subsequently deceiving arriving officers by claiming he was the target of a racially motivated assault—a lie that led to the dying teenager being handcuffed. Digwa has since been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The financial toll of the subsequent outrage has been immense. Hampshire Police incurred a staggering £443,000 in operational and lodging expenses, while local council cleaning efforts cost an additional £6,700. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently reviewing the police department’s initial management of the tragedy.