Shabana Mahmood launches review into murder of student Henry Nowak

Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has launched a review to examine whether opportunities were missed to prevent the murder of the student Henry Nowak.

It follows claims that there were several warning signs that the perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa, had a history of threatening behaviour and an obsession with weapons.

Nowak, 18, died in December after being fatally stabbed as he walked home from a night out in Southampton. He was handcuffed by police officers while bleeding to death after Digwa falsely accused Nowak of racial abuse.

In police body-worn camera footage which prompted a public outcry, Nowak was heard repeatedly saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replied: “Don’t think you have, mate.”

Nowak’s death sparked widespread protests, allegations of “two-tier policing” and a spike in racist attacks against the UK’s Sikh community. Digwa, a Sikh, was carrying two knives, including a kirpan, on the night of the killing. Carrying the blade is permitted in the UK for religious purposes.

Digwa, 23, has subsequently been accused by young local Sikhs of using threatening behaviour in a Southampton gurdwara, or temple, in the months leading up to the fatal attack on Nowak.

The Sun reported that Digwa was seen brandishing an airgun in his back garden in October 2022. A neighbour who recorded him firing shots said she reported this to the police, but Hampshire constabulary was unable to find a record of the incident.

Speaking in the Commons, Mahmood said the review would be led by the former Conservative lord chancellor Alex Chalk KC and would report its initial findings within five months.

“Last December, Henry Nowak’s life was cut short in a horrific and senseless act of violence. My thoughts today are with Henry’s family and his friends, who have shown extraordinary courage and dignity,” she said.

“It [the review] will investigate what was known about the perpetrator, including any missed opportunities to intervene.

“It will look at the Nowak family’s experience of the criminal justice system and whether they were supported in the manner they should have been.

“Once the Independent Office for Police Conduct [IOPC] has concluded its investigation into the police response, this review will also consider the actions of the IOPC and, if necessary, the police.”

Two officers, who were the first to arrive on the scene, are being investigated by the IOPC for potential gross misconduct.

The investigation is looking at why they did not recognise that Nowak needed urgent medical attention and at the decision to arrest him rather than provide first aid.

Nowak’s family welcomed the review as a “significant moment” in their fight for justice.

“Since Henry was murdered, we’ve fought tirelessly for answers to questions no family should ever have to ask. The emotional toll of that fight, on top of the unimaginable grief of losing Henry, has been immense,” the family said.

“We hope this review, alongside the ongoing investigations and inquest, will finally uncover the full truth and deliver the accountability and meaningful change we have fought so hard for.

“Our experience of the criminal justice system has been deeply disappointing, and we are determined that no other family should have to endure what we have.”

Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years. He has been given permission to challenge the length of that sentence at the court of appeal on 5 November.

Kiran Kaur, Digwa’s mother, was also jailed for three years for assisting an offender after she removed the knife used by her son. The knife was found by police at their family home along with more than 20 other weapons.