Two police officers who responded to the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton are under investigation for potential gross misconduct after they handcuffed him instead of providing first aid as he lay dying on December 3 last year.
Henry told officers he could not breathe and that he had been stabbed, but officers from Hampshire Constabulary ignored his pleas and failed to realise he was mortally injured, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
IOPC Investigation Details
The IOPC said it is investigating potential failures by the officers to recognise that Henry needed urgent medical attention, to act when he said he had been stabbed and could not breathe, and the decision to arrest and handcuff him instead of administering first aid.
One officer is also under investigation for potentially breaching conduct standards by dismissing the teenager's claim that he had been stabbed. The watchdog is examining whether race or religion played a role in the officers' decision-making.
Killer Vickrum Digwa, who is Sikh, had lied to police that he was the victim of a racist attack by Henry, when in fact he had fatally stabbed the 18-year-old. Digwa was jailed for life for murder in May.
Family Outrage and Public Confidence
IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell said: “We continue to extend our deepest sympathies to Henry’s family and friends. Our investigators met with Henry’s family earlier this month where we were able to discuss our investigation with them in depth, now that criminal proceedings have concluded.”
Campbell added: “There is clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed by this incident, and that is a factor we must consider when assessing the evidence. The serving of gross misconduct notices does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow. At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.”
The IOPC expanded its investigation after discussions with Henry's family, who lodged formal complaints about the force. The case sparked outrage and protests when Digwa was sentenced, with Hampshire Police accused of failing to listen to Henry because he was white.
Father’s Statement
When Digwa was sentenced, Henry’s father Mark Nowak said the difference in treatment between the killer and his son was “unbearable”. He told journalists: “His murderer… was afforded decency. He was believed. He was not handcuffed when arrested. He was not handcuffed when transported to the police station. As far as we understand, he was never handcuffed at all. And, as Vickrum Digwa himself told the court, while under arrest for Henry’s murder, police even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food. The contrast is unbearable.”
