The family of murdered student Henry Nowak have said they believe police "manipulated" them in their "darkest hours". The 18-year-old was fatally stabbed with a ceremonial sword by Vickrum Digwa, 23, in December last year as Mr Nowak was on his way back to his university accommodation in Southampton after a night out.
The student was handcuffed by officers as he lay bleeding to death while Digwa accused him of racial abuse. In police body-worn camera footage shown in court after his death, Mr Nowak can be heard repeating, "I've been stabbed", to which an officer replies: "Don't think you have, mate."
Family Accuses Police of Changing Accounts
The murdered student's family have accused the police of giving changing accounts of their response to their son's death, initially portraying Mr Nowak as the aggressor. Mr Nowak's father Mark and his stepmother Katie, mother Lucy and older sister Olivia spoke about their experiences in an interview for an ITV Tonight documentary, Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice.
"I do feel that we have been failed multiple times," Katie Nowak said. "I fear that we may have been manipulated in our darkest hours. I fear that some decisions were made to try and protect the police and their reputation rather than help us as a family," she added.
Mark Nowak said the family were initially told Mr Nowak had been given first aid by officers. He said: "The story was evolving every time we had an interaction. That evolution of what actually happened that night really shocked us, and we felt we were being hoodwinked. We felt we were being not told the truth."
Father Recalls Draft Press Release
The father also recalled being asked to approve a draft press release that depicted his son as an aggressor after he had identified his son's body. He said: "That was a statement that essentially identified the victim. So, tarnishing the victim's name at that stage was shocking for me to hear… as I was on the way back from identifying my son's body."
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Constable Alexis Boon admitted the force had "failed" Mr Nowak when he needed their help. He told ITV in a statement: "Henry's murder was a devastating tragedy, and our thoughts remain with his family and all those who loved him. I am incredibly sorry that in his final moments, when he needed us most, we failed him.
"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."
Watchdog Investigation and Sentencing
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) previously confirmed it was investigating potential failures in the officers' response to Mr Nowak after he was stabbed. The family said they received a letter from the IOPC in April saying that no officers would face a criminal investigation because there were "no concerns identified in relation to officer actions".
This changed in July, when the watchdog said two officers were under investigation for potential gross misconduct over their response to the incident. IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell told the programme the police watchdog was "committed to establishing the full circumstances of this case, including whether any of the officers involved should face disciplinary proceedings" and providing Mr Nowak's family with answers.
The chief constable said the circumstances around Mr Nowak's death remained "subject to extensive independent scrutiny" and the force was co-operating "fully" with the investigation, review and inquest. Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years on June 1 for Mr Nowak's murder.
An upcoming review led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk will look at "any missed opportunities to intervene", Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the House of Commons. Mirror Online has approached Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary for comment. Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice will air on Thursday at 9pm on ITV, ITVX and the ITV News YouTube channel.
