A thug who threw a plastic bottle at police during violent anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth has been jailed for two years.
Del Somerville, 42, lobbed the projectile at officers and swore angrily at them during a protest on September 6.
The father-of-two was the first to be arrested and sentenced following the violence which erupted after the arrival into the city of a small boat carrying 114 migrants.
Somerville, of the Paulsgrove area of the city, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder.
The court was told the protest had left locals fearing for their safety and he was captured on camera shouting verbal abuse at officers and telling them to ‘f***’ off.
Somerville appeared in a grey top and black coat and stuck his tongue out at the gallery as he entered the court room.
Judge Daniel Sawyer told him that his sentence would act as a deterrent to others following subsequent protests in the area.
He still awaits trial regarding an additional charge of assaulting a police officer relating to his arrest on September 11, which he entered a not guilty plea on Thursday for.
Hundreds of people, including right-wing activist Daniel Thomas, gathered at Eastney Marina on the night of September 6 and into the early hours of the next day after the boat docked in the city.
But the protest turned violent for some as those gathered attempted to stop several coaches carrying migrants who had disembarked from leaving the harbour.
Seven police officers were injured and treated at the scene, while Coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said.
Thug Del Somerville, 42, of Portsmouth, threw a bottle at an officer and was seen shouting aggressively at police during the protest on September 6
Hundreds of protestors clashed with police near Eastney beach in Portsmouth after a dinghy carrying 114 asylum seekers was escorted to the shore
Seven police officers were injured and treated at the scene, while Coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said
Sentencing Somerville, Judge Sawyer described as a ‘thug’ and said: ‘Police officers dedicate their lives to the protection of the public regardless of their own views, the very least they can expect is that those who engage in protests treat them with respect and the courts punish those who assault them.’
Edward Warren, prosecuting, said: ‘This case arises out of the violence that occurred on the night of 6th September following the arrival into the country of 114 illegal migrants who had crossed the Channel from France and were diverted to Eastney marina escorted by the Coastguard and the RNLI.’
Mr Warren continued: ‘Following an initial peaceful and lawful gathering from local residents, a large number of people gathered on Ferry Road near the marina.
‘That protest apparently initially appeared spontaneous before it seemed organised elements with online encouragement from public figures having shared information on social media and elsewhere led to a much wider group and a large number of people attending.
‘Public awareness spread online and a larger number of people began to congregate in Eastney.
‘Protests began popping up in other parts of the area, including Hayling Island and ferry terminals.
‘Hampshire Constabulary declared a major incident during the evening and a significant police presence was deployed, and significant resources were required to maintain public order and to ensure those who had arrived in the country were moved to a secure location.
‘During the evening there were seven recorded assaults on police officers and damaged caused to police vehicles.
‘Other forces were deployed from outside Hampshire to assist and approximately 50 officers from Hampshire and a further 100 supporting officers to assist.’
The court heard local residents had given statements reporting feeling afraid in their own homes while protesters were seen to urinate in their gardens and thousands of pounds of damage was caused to property in the area.
Mr Warren said bricks, stones and bottles were thrown at police and community wardens had been trapped in their cars for five hours during the disturbance.
The prosecutor said at about 11.20pm, Somerville, wearing a khaki hoodie with the hood up, initially motioned to another protester to ‘back off’ from the police line.
He said the defendant then ‘turned to face the police and was seen to throw a small bottle and he has shouted at officers to ‘f*** off’.
‘He remains at the front of the group talking to protesters a short distance from the police line.’
He added that at 1am, Somerville was seen on body-worn video footage ‘aggressively pushing’ through the police line and ‘shouting verbal abuse at police officers’ as well ‘pointing aggressively’ at them.
Mr Warren said Somerville, who lives in a boat at the marina, was tracked to his van by officers on September 11 and is alleged to have assaulted a constable as they attempted to arrest him.
Somerville entered a not guilty plea to this offence and that charge has been referred back to be tried at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court.
Mr Warren said when interviewed, Somerville ‘said the police were the ones responsible for the violence and he suggests he was struck by a baton multiple times and sprayed with CS gas’.
However, Mr Warren added Somerville ‘accepted throwing the bottle’, and nearly ‘tripped over it and picked it up and threw it’.
He added: ‘He was going to throw it into a bush but was angry and threw it into the air. He said it got out of hand.’
Helen Easterbrook, defending, said Somerville had been on his boat at the marina on the evening of the incident and had gone out to find out what was happening.
She said: ‘Unlike so many of those involved in disorders where people are transporting themselves across the country, he was caught up in it.
‘He was one of the people affected by this, his original involvement was when he came out of the marina to see what was going on. This does not excuse the behaviour he began to undertake.’
She added: ‘He asked police to go back to his place of safety on his boat but he was refused.
Ms Easterbook said Somerville initially attempted to calm the situation down but had thrown a ‘light plastic bottle’ which was not intended to hurt anyone.
She added: ‘He has suffered a number of mental health issues, rebuilding his life multiple times.’
Judge Daniel Sawyer told Somerville: ‘You didn’t simply find yourself caught up in this disorder, this maybe how it started but you made a decision to engage in this behaviour.
‘This was persistent and sustained violent activity. There was widespread violence.
‘This caused distress, disruption, a detrimental impact to the community, cost to the public purse and attacks on public servants.’
He added it is ‘important to distinguish the rights to peaceful protests and offence when people cease to protest peacefully’.
‘Many of those were wearing face coverings adding to the air of intimidation,’ he said.
‘The right to a peaceful protest is an important part of life. Whether a person wishes to protest against immigration, globalisation or climate change, all have the same right to a peaceful protest.
‘Police officers dedicate their lives to protect the public. The very least that they can expect is that those who engage in protests treat them with respect.
‘The community impact of that night’s violence has been profound.’
This is a breaking news story and is being updated.
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