Henry Nowak’s family were ‘manipulated in their darkest hours’ by police after the 18-year-old’s murder

Henry Nowak’s family say they were misled by police and the police watchdog after the 18-year-old was stabbed in Southampton last December. They believe early accounts portrayed him as the aggressor and that decisions may have been made to protect the police’s reputation, adding to the family’s distress and their efforts to seek answers.

Nowak was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused; Digwa was later jailed for life, with a minimum term of 21 years. Body-worn camera footage captured Nowak saying he had been stabbed while an officer doubted him, and showed that he was handcuffed as he lay dying. The family say they were told officers had given him first aid, and that the IOPC initially said there was no evidence of misconduct; they later saw the footage on the first day of Digwa’s trial.