First protesters jailed after protests over Henry Nowak murder just days after Southampton demonstration

Two men have been jailed after pleading guilty to violent disorder at a protest following the murder of Henry Nowak.

Connor Bishop and Leon O'Leary are the first people to be jailed after violence broke out between protesters and riot police in Southampton earlier this month.

Bishop was sentenced to two years and eight months and O'Leary was jailed for three years and one month.

A total of 21 people, including Bishop and O'Leary, have been charged in connection with the disorder.

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The court heard how O'Leary, of Lulworth Way in Basingstoke, was walking "casually" in the crowd in front of the police cordon when he saw a smoke grenade on the ground, with police bodycam footage played to the court showing the protester pick it up and throw it towards police.

The 41-year-old also admitted resisting a police officer and possession of an offensive weapon.

When officers came to arrest him in the early hours of June 7, he adopted a "fighting stance" at the top of the stairs and threatened officers who had to use pava spray to subdue him.

From a search in his bedroom, officers also found the samurai sword, which O'Leary said he owned for 20 years as decorative only, adding he did not know the law had changed on owning one.

Meanwhile Bishop, of Oxford Street, Southampton, was seen on police bodycam footage carrying a yellow traffic cone which he then threw towards officers.

Prosecutor Siobhan Linsley told the court the 24-year-old was seen running with the cone, "pursuing officers for some time with it".

She said: "Once it's thrown he then follows it again, picks it up again."

When he was arrested at his home on June 3 he answered "no comment" but then accepted he was there when shown footage, also admitting to throwing a box of screws and punching a wall which was not captured on footage, reports the BBC.

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Bishop told a police interview he had drunk a small amount of beer "that made him more lairy", adding he was brought up Christian and "threw items to fit into the crowd".

Defending Bishop, Thomas Evans said: "He is perhaps an example of peer pressure and group thinking".

Mr Evans said of Bishop and O'Leary: "They are not the instigators of this disorder, they are inevitable result of other individuals who seek to harness anger."

More to follow...

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