A thug who took part in an anti-immigration march following nationwide riots may today be caught as a murderer.
Shane Manville, serving a prison sentence for beating to death a young father of two, clashed with police in a heated scene this week.
He was at a protest in Brighton – thought to have targeted an immigration solicitors’ office – and was seen with a smaller group of demonstrators than the hundreds of anti-racists.
But the 48-year-old, who now gives the surname Howarth, claims he was mistakenly drawn into a small group surrounded by police. He says he was pushed there, that he was not a racist, and that he “ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time”.
This came after information about immigration lawyers, advice centres and charities was shared in far-right Telegram groups. They were circulated with the ominous warning: “They won’t stop coming until you tell them… No more entry”. But on Wednesday night, thousands of anti-racists demonstrated across the country against the far-right violence that has plastered Britain since riots erupted after three girls were murdered in Southport.
It becomes clear that Manville has a history of violence, including murder. In 2001, he punched 29-year-old plasterer Anthony Evans in the face and threw him to the ground at a Brighton club after an altercation at a bar. Mr Evans reportedly died that evening from a brain haemorrhage.
Manville, then 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2002. More than 400 people attended Mr Evans’ funeral and his organs were donated, saving six lives, including that of a young girl.
Manville told police he believed Mr Evans was trying to attack him with a weapon. “There was clearly a degree of provocation by Mr Evans in this case,” the judge said. But you have a criminal record that shows you are … excessively violent.’ Manville had several previous convictions for violence, including assault at a club in 1996 for which he was sentenced to three years in prison, the court heard.
Shane Howarth commented on his participation in the anti-immigration protest: ‘I went into the crowd,’ he added, ‘…someone just pushes me up to where the people are, OK? And I’m stuck there.’
When he was told he had been in a group of anti-immigration demonstrators he said: ‘I didn’t even know what the protests were about. I just went there, I just looked at what was going on, and then I got pushed in there, and once I was in there, I was stuck there.’ ”
Regarding the manslaughter charge, he said: “If you look closely, this was an unprovoked attack. Yes, I was provoked and I was defending myself. Someone was trying to do something in a nightclub and it ended badly…” he admitted to the charge.
Speaking of his own violent past, he said: “I got into fights growing up,” and added: “I’m not a racist, you know. I… I didn’t go there to cause trouble. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”