A police officer and his family have been forced to relocate after being wrongly identified on social media as being involved in the Henry Nowak case, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has revealed. Speaking in the Commons, Mahmood condemned the threats and misinformation surrounding the case, stating that 'threats against police officers are utterly unacceptable.'
The officer, who was not involved in the incident, received death threats after being misidentified online. Mahmood urged the public to allow the facts to be established by appropriate investigations and courts, and to do so 'calmly and responsibly.' She added that 'misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse.'
Henry Nowak, 18, was handcuffed by Hampshire Police officers as he lay dying from stab wounds in Southampton on December 4. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, lied that Nowak was drunk and had launched a racist attack. Body-worn footage shows Nowak telling officers he had been stabbed, but he was ignored and told, 'I don't think you have, mate.' He was then placed in handcuffs while repeatedly saying, 'I can't breathe.'
Hampshire Police confirmed that one of the officers involved in the case has resigned, while three remain serving. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating, but all officers are currently being treated as witnesses. The Hampshire Police Federation condemned calls for 'vigilante justice' against the officers, noting that some have had their personal details, including home addresses, published online.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for 'pure cold rage' over the case, alleging a 'two-tier culture' and claiming that Nowak was treated in a way that 'meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder.' He has asked the Attorney General to review Digwa's life sentence with a minimum of 21 years as unduly lenient.
