Jacob Dunne, who was jailed for manslaughter after killing a stranger with a single punch in July 2011, has dedicated his life to tackling youth violence. He now condemns Nigel Farage's call for 'pure cold rage' following the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, but says the underlying causes of volatile behaviour must be acknowledged.
Farage's comments spark backlash
When Nigel Farage said British people should respond to Nowak's murder with 'pure cold rage', it drew condemnation across the political divide. Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Farage of exploiting the tragedy for political gain, against the wishes of Nowak's parents.
Dunne, whose story of transformation after meeting his victim's parents inspired an Olivier award-winning play, reacted on Instagram: 'The definition of rage is uncontrollable and extreme anger. For a political leader who wants to become prime minister, I think he got a little bit too excited. At worst he was inciting violence.' He added: 'I threw a punch at 19 years old, a violent act that killed another man. Words and dialogue are more effective at reducing violence than rage.'
Underlying causes of youth violence
Speaking after recent violent disorder in Southampton and Belfast, Dunne said that while rioting must be condemned, there must be acknowledgment of the 'underlying causes' driving young men to volatile behaviour. 'There is a section of our population, mainly men and young men, who arguably don't believe that there is a way of expressing their anger constructively,' he said.
Dunne, announced as an unpaid government adviser on youth justice this week, said many young men are 'falling through the cracks of society', attracted to extremism from left and right due to lack of community and belonging. 'They're finding digital forms of belonging and there are people online exploiting that lack of community. That's why you have 'incels', far-right nationalist groups, and others who create a space for belonging that soothes the void young men feel.'
Belfast violence and historical context
Belfast was the latest flashpoint after a video of a brutal knife attack was shared online, leading to demonstrations against the attack and immigration that descended into racially motivated violence, with people forced to leave their homes and cars set alight. Dunne noted that attraction to violence is not new, citing football hooliganism of the 1960s and postcode gang culture. He recalled that the 2011 riots were ongoing when he threw the fatal punch in Nottingham.
'In search for belonging, you will adopt whoever adopts you, their values and principles, and form that identity,' he said. 'I think people don't trust that their voices will be heard unless they act aggressively. Some people believe they won't be heard and resort to violence.'
Call for constructive pathways
Dunne, co-founder of the Common Ground Justice Project, an apolitical organisation facilitating open conversations around crime and justice, said his mission is to ensure constructive pathways for young men to express anger and create 'safe spaces for people to understand how they feel'. He said: 'I feel sad because I know where these young men are. They need help, they want to be heard, they want to be loved and just want to feel like they belong somewhere, but they're going further down paths that get them criminalised.'
He urged the government to develop a long-term strategy to improve social cohesion and tackle the increasing numbers of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neet). 'We need a serious strategy for how we stop young boys and men feeling marginalised. Neet children are all susceptible to these dogmatic incels, whether left or right. We've got a growing number of outcasts willing to burn the whole place down to feel its warmth. If we keep ostracising them and labelling them as racists and bigots, we will only perpetuate the problem.'
Reform UK was contacted for comment.
