Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has pledged to provide answers to the family of murder victim Henry Nowak, as she announced an independent review.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court in June for the murder of the 18-year-old finance student on 3 December, 2025.

The case sparked protests and violence after a three-minute police body-worn video was released showing Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, being placed in handcuffs moments before he became unconscious and subsequently died.

The review will be led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk and will look at “any missed opportunities to intervene”, Ms Mahmood told the Commons.

Nowak was handcuffed as he lay dying, after Digwa, a Sikh, falsely accused him of racial abuse.

In police body-worn camera footage, Nowak can be heard repeatedly saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replies: “Don’t think you have, mate.”

Speaking in the Commons, Shabana Mahmood said: “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.

“Today, I can announce an independent review led by a former lord chancellor, the Right Honourable Alex Chalk KC.

“It 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 has concluded its investigation into the police response, this review will also consider the actions of the IOPC and, if necessary, the police.”

She added that the full terms of reference for the review were published on Monday and an initial report will be submitted to her within five months.

Mahmood continued: “We must get to the 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.

“We owe that to Henry and to all who loved him; they deserve answers, and this review will provide them.”

Kiran Kaur, Digwa’s mother, was also jailed for three years for assisting an offender after she removed the knife used by her son.

When Digwa was sentenced, Nowak’s father Mark Nowak said the difference between the way the killer and his son were treated 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.”

Investigators from the IOPC are looking at whether the race or religion of Digwa, who is Sikh, or Nowak impacted the decisions made, and whether officers “were influenced by assumptions or prejudice relating to community tensions at the time”.

Monday’s announcement has been welcomed by the Nowak family.

In a statement, they said: “At last, some positive news. Today’s announcement of the Henry Nowak Independent Review is a significant moment in our 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.”

They added: “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.

“We are particularly grateful to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, for listening to our concerns and taking action, and to the Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC for agreeing to lead the review.

“This is an important step forward, but there is still a long road ahead. We will not stop fighting until we secure the answers, accountability and meaningful change that Henry, and every family in this country, deserves.”

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