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Man jailed for throwing bottle at migrant protest - Published A father-of-two has become the first man jailed following an anti-migrant protest in Portsmouth after admitting throwing a plastic bottle and swearing at police. Del Somerville, 42, was given a two-year sentence after previously pleading guilty to violent disorder at the city's crown court following the overnight protest near Eastney Marina on 6 September. Hundreds of protesters gathered after a boat carrying about 120 migrants was brought ashore near Eastney Beach. He pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of assaulting a police officer, relating to an incident on 11 September, and will face trial at Portsmouth Magistrates Court at a later date. Judge Daniel Sawyer told Somerville that his sentence would act as a deterrent to others following subsequent protests in the area. Describing him as a "thug", he told the defendant: "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." The court heard Sommerville, from Portsmouth, was among a large group of demonstrators protesting at the arrival of the migrants. They were brought ashore by the RNLI after being picked up in the Channel. A number of volunteer lifeboat crew members were subject to online abuse following the incident. Prosecutor Edward Warren said Somerville was part of an "initially peaceful and lawful" gathering of a number of people on Ferry Road. At shortly before 23:30 BST, he was with a large group of men as they were held up by the police line. The court was told he was identified in police body-worn video as throwing a small bottle and swearing at police. When later interviewed by police, he said he had found the bottle on the ground and was going to throw it into a nearby bush, but was angry and so threw it up into the air. Defence barrister Helen Easterbrook said Somerville had been "caught up" in the disturbances. She said he had been attempting to be a "calming influence" on the crowd but had thrown the bottle "in frustration". Four other men are awaiting sentence having also been charged with violent disorder following the protest in Eastney. Get in touch Your Voice
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