The family of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, stabbed to death while walking home in Southampton in December 2025, have said they were failed by authorities and fear they may have been manipulated. Police handcuffed Nowak as he bled to death. The family say police told them Nowak had been the aggressor and that officers had immediately administered first aid, with the account changing over time. The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is investigating, and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has launched a review.
Henry Nowak's father, Mark Nowak, told ITV News that the police account changed repeatedly. "What started off as: 'When the police arrived, we administered first aid,' moved through a stage where: 'When the police arrived, they detained everyone' … to: 'We actually only detained Henry,' to then: 'We handcuffed Henry,' and then: 'We placed Henry under arrest.' That evolution of what actually happened that night really shocked us, and we felt we were being hoodwinked."
Nowak's stepmother, Katie Nowak, said: "I do feel that we have been failed multiple times. I fear that we may have been manipulated in our darkest hours. And I fear that some decisions were made to try and protect the police and their reputation rather than help us as a family."
The murder took place after a night out when Vickrum Digwa, later jailed for life, stabbed Nowak and falsely accused him of racial abuse. Nowak was handcuffed while pleading for medical help. His mother, Lucy Ross, told ITV News that Henry told police nine times he could not breathe and had been stabbed, and questioned why he was dismissed and handcuffed.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Constable Alexis Boon apologised, saying: "I am incredibly sorry that in his final moments, when he needed us most, we failed him. I recognise that, for Henry's family, this has been about more than the circumstances of one night. They have rightly raised serious concerns about the police response and their treatment throughout the investigation and since. No family should ever find themselves in this position."
The family revealed that the IOPC had said in April that no Hampshire police officers would be subject to conduct or criminal investigation because no concerns had been identified in relation to officer actions. Less than two months later, the constabulary apologised. The IOPC's director of engagement, Derrick Campbell, told ITV News the watchdog is committed to establishing the full circumstances and whether officers should face disciplinary proceedings.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case highlights systemic failures in police response to stabbing victims and potential cover-ups, eroding public trust in law enforcement.
- The family's experience of being manipulated while grieving raises questions about police accountability and transparency.
- The Home Secretary's review could lead to policy changes in how police interact with victims of violent crime.
Background
Henry Nowak, 18, was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa while walking home from a night out in Southampton in December 2025. Digwa falsely claimed Nowak had racially abused him before his arrest. Police handcuffed a bleeding Nowak, who repeatedly pleaded he had been stabbed. The bodycam footage sparked public outcry. The IOPC initially found no misconduct, but after the footage emerged, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary apologised, and the Home Secretary launched a review.
Key Perspectives
Family (Mark Nowak, Katie Nowak, Lucy Ross): The police misled them, changing their account of what happened, and they were failed and manipulated in their darkest hours. Henry was dismissed when he needed help most.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Constable Alexis Boon: Apologised for failing Henry Nowak in his final moments and acknowledged the family's serious concerns about the police response and treatment.
Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC): Committed to establishing the full circumstances and whether officers should face disciplinary proceedings.
What to Watch
- The IOPC investigation and whether any officers face disciplinary proceedings.
- The Home Secretary's review and any recommendations it makes.
- Potential civil action or further scrutiny of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedThe family of murdered student Henry Nowak say police misled and manipulated them.UK news | The Guardian: “Family of murdered student Henry Nowak say police misled and manipulated them.”
- SupportedBodycam footage captures an officer replying “Don’t think you have, mate” after Nowak repeatedly says he has been stabbed.UK news | The Guardian: “Nowak was heard repeatedly saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replied: “Don’t think you have, mate.””
- SupportedEighteen-year-old Henry Nowak was stabbed to death while walking home from a night out in Southampton in December 2025.UK news | The Guardian: “His parents described how police wrongly told them Nowak, 18, had been the aggressor. … The student was murdered by Vickrum Digwa , who stabbed him as he walked home from a night out in Southampton in December 2025.”
- SupportedPolice handcuffed Nowak while he was bleeding to death.UK news | The Guardian: “Nowak was handcuffed by police officers while bleeding to death”
- SupportedThe family said police told them Nowak had been the aggressor and that officers had immediately administered first aid.UK news | The Guardian: “His parents described how police wrongly told them Nowak, 18, had been the aggressor, and that officers had immediately administered first aid.”
- SupportedMark Nowak said the police account changed over time and that the family felt they were being “hoodwinked.”UK news | The Guardian: ““The story was evolving every time we had an interaction,” Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, told ITV News. “What started off as: ‘When the police arrived, we administered first aid,’ moved through a stage where: ‘When the police arrived, they detained everyone’ …”
- SupportedKatie Nowak said the family felt failed and feared they may have been manipulated.UK news | The Guardian: “Nowak’s stepmother, Katie Nowak, said: “I do feel that we have been failed multiple times. I fear that we may have been manipulated in our darkest hours.”
- SupportedVickrum Digwa stabbed Nowak and falsely accused him of racial abuse; Digwa was jailed for life.UK news | The Guardian: “Nowak was handcuffed by police officers while bleeding to death after Digwa, who was eventually jailed for life, had falsely accused him of racial abuse.”
- SupportedLucy Ross told ITV News that Henry said nine times that he could not breathe and had been stabbed, and questioned why he was dismissed and handcuffed.UK news | The Guardian: “Speaking to ITV News, the student’s mother, Lucy Ross, said: “Henry told the police nine times that he can’t breathe, he can’t breathe and he’s been stabbed. What more do you want? ... Why was Henry so dismissed and treated so badly?””
- SupportedThe IOPC is investigating, and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has launched a review.UK news | The Guardian: “The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is investigating and the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has launched a review”
- SupportedChief Constable Alexis Boon apologised, saying police failed Nowak when he needed them most.UK news | The Guardian: “Hampshire and Isle of Wight chief constable, Alexis Boon, told ITV News: “I am incredibly sorry that in his final moments, when he needed us most, we failed him.”
- SupportedThe family said the IOPC had told them in April that no Hampshire police officers would face conduct or criminal investigation because no concerns had been identified in officer actions.UK news | The Guardian: “Nowak’s family revealed that the IOPC had said in April: “No [Hampshire police] officers would be subject to conduct or criminal investigation. This was because there were no concerns identified in relation to officer actions.””