Full Breakdown
Home Secretary Launches Independent Review into the Murder of Henry Nowak
By Drooid · · How we work
The Tragic Incident and Immediate Aftermath
On 3 December 2025, 18-year-old finance student Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed while walking home from a night out in Southampton. The attacker, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed he had been racially abused and acted in self-defence. Police body-worn camera footage captured Nowak, handcuffed and bleeding, repeatedly saying “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replied, “Don’t think you have, mate.” The video sparked public outrage over the decision to handcuff a dying victim rather than provide urgent medical aid.
Background and Context
Investigators noted that Digwa had a documented history of threatening behaviour and an “obsession with weapons.” He was carrying two knives, including a kirpan—a blade permitted for religious use—on the night of the killing. Local Sikh youths later alleged that Digwa had exhibited threatening conduct in a Southampton gurdwara in the months preceding the attack. A separate report claimed Digwa was seen brandishing an air-gun in October 2022, but Hampshire Constabulary could not locate a record of that incident, leaving a gap in the evidentiary trail. The incident ignited protests, accusations of “two-tier policing,” and a spike in racist attacks against the UK’s Sikh community.
Data & Statistics
- Victim: Henry Nowak, 18 years old, from Chafford Hundred, Essex.
- Perpetrator: Vickrum Digwa, 23 years old, Sikh.
- Sentencing: Digwa was jailed for life on 1 June, with a minimum term of 21 years.
- Appeal: Digwa has permission to challenge the sentence on 5 November.
- Associated convictions: Kiran Kaur, Digwa’s mother, received a three-year term for assisting an offender after removing the knife.
- Weapon cache: Police recovered the murder weapon and more than 20 additional weapons from the family home.
Official Statements & Responses
She added that the review will consider the actions of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) once its own investigation concludes.
Former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC was appointed to lead the review, with an initial report due within five months.
The IOPC confirmed that two officers who were first on the scene are under investigation for potential gross misconduct, focusing on why they failed to recognise the need for urgent medical assistance and instead proceeded with an arrest.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Guardian cited a Sun report that Digwa was seen firing an air-gun in his garden in October 2022, yet Hampshire Constabulary reported no record of such an incident. This discrepancy highlights a gap in the police documentation of prior threats.
What’s Next
The independent review, led by Alex Chalk KC, will submit its first findings within five months. The IOPC investigation of the two officers remains ongoing. Digwa’s sentence will be reviewed at the Court of Appeal on 5 November.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We must get to truth of what happened before, during and after that awful night and we must do everything in our power to ensure that no family suffers the same fate,” — Shabana Mahmood, notice home secretary