Hampshire Police apologise for handcuffing dying student in stabbing case

A sentencing that was meant to close a brutal murder case instead widened the backlash, after Hampshire Constabulary apologised for handcuffing Henry Nowak while the 18-year-old University of Southampton student was dying from a stab wound. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was convicted at Southampton Crown Court of murdering Henry with a Sikh kirpan ceremonial knife carrying an eight-inch, 21cm blade, and on 1 June 2026 he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.

Police said Digwa falsely claimed Henry had launched a racist attack, a lie that led officers to treat the wounded student as the suspect before they realised how badly he had been hurt. The force’s apology has not quelled the anger surrounding the case, which has become a test of how quickly institutions can correct a deadly error once it has been made.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said its investigation into the officers’ contact with Henry, including the use of handcuffs and the first aid given to him, is still ongoing. The watchdog received a mandatory referral from the force on the same day as Henry’s death, 4 December 2025, and is reviewing body-worn footage and material from the murder trial. The officers involved are being treated as witnesses.

In Parliament on 2 June, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Henry’s family deserve answers, described the bodycam footage as “disturbing and tragic”, and said the government would ensure the IOPC had the resources, authority and independence it needs to complete a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation. She also confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service had authorised further charges against other members of Digwa’s family. Kiran Kaur, Digwa’s mother, has already been convicted of assisting an offender and is due to be sentenced on 17 July.

Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, said the family holds Digwa solely responsible for the murder but still wants a “full, fearless and transparent” inquiry into police conduct. Donna Jones, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight police and crime commissioner, called the case a national tragedy and said officers did not believe Henry when he said he had been stabbed and could not breathe. She said she will seek a national review of religious exemptions that allow people to carry bladed articles, as the case continues to drive a wider political debate over policing, race and knife crime. Keir Starmer said the footage raised serious questions and that the influence of racism claims on police decision-making must be addressed.