Henry Nowak's father has described the way police treated his dying son as “inhumane and degrading” and called on the government to treat knife crime as a national emergency.
Mark Nowak spoke outside Southampton Crown Court after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of the 18-year-old student. Digwa stabbed Henry on a Southampton street and then falsely claimed to police that Henry had racially abused him, leading officers to handcuff the dying teenager. Henry collapsed shortly afterward and could not be revived.
Justice Not Enough
Mark Nowak said that “justice in the eyes of the law has been served but justice alone is not enough.” He added: “We are calling on the government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is.”
The family would “carry this grief every single day for the rest of our lives,” he said. “Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him.”
Contrast in Treatment
“Let me be absolutely clear – we hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100 per cent responsible for the brutal murder of our son. But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading,” Mark Nowak stated.
“His murderer, however, 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.”
Call for Investigation
Mr Nowak described the police treatment of his son – which the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating – as “shocking”. “While we await its final report, we are calling on the Home Secretary to ensure that the IOPC has the resources, authority and independence it needs to conduct a full, fearless and transparent investigation. Our family should not have to fight for the truth anymore.”
Knife Crime Prevention
Mr Nowak urged the government to invest in knife crime prevention and called for “stronger action on the sale, ownership and carrying of all knives”. “People should not be able to walk openly through the streets of Britain carrying a 21cm blade. As a family, we will not let this go. No other family should experience the heartbreak and horror of losing a child to knife crime.”
Prime Minister's Response
On social media, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the student's murder an “awful, shocking” case. “Henry's loved ones have gone through the trauma of a long trial and endured Henry's killer making up appalling claims about their son who was thoughtful, kind and deeply loved. It is right that the IOPC is investigating the police's response to his senseless murder. And we must end the cycle of tragedy by tackling the horror of knife crime. Henry's family, friends, his university and the city of Southampton will continue to feel his loss, and our thoughts will always be with them.”
