The family of Henry Nowak, the 18-year-old who died after being arrested in Southampton, has welcomed the announcement of an independent review into his murder.
In May, Vickrum Digwa, 23, was convicted of stabbing the student to death in December last year and sentenced to life in prison.
The case sparked uproar across the country when it emerged police had arrested and handcuffed Henry in his dying minutes, after Digwa falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist attack.
When Henry told officers he had been stabbed, one said: ‘I don’t think you have, mate.’
More than a dozen people were arrested following an anti-police protest that erupted into violence shortly after the verdict.
The following month, Digwa’s mother Kiran Kaur was sentenced to three years in prison after she was convicted of assisting an offender by removing the knife he had used.
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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon that an independent review was to be carried out into Henry’s death.
It will be led by Alex Chalk, the former Conservative justice secretary who lost his seat at the 2024 general election.
Mahmood said the review would investigate what was known about Digwa ahead of the murder, including ‘any missed opportunities to intervene’, as well as how the Nowak family was treated by the criminal justice system.
It may also look into the actions of the police when an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct comes to an end, she added.
The Home Secretary said an initial report will be submitted to her within five months.
She said: ‘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 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.’
In a statement, Henry’s family 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.
‘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.’
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed the review, saying: ‘When a child dies, a family is changed forever. They should not then have to spend their lives fighting to establish what went wrong and who was responsible.
‘That is why I called for this review. There must be proper accountability for those who failed Henry and his family.
‘The Conservatives will scrutinise this review to ensure it delivers the answers Henry’s family deserve.’
Henry Nowak was stabbed five times by Digwa with a 21cm blade he claimed he was carrying for Sikh religious reasons.
The attacker then lied to police, claiming he was the victim after he was called a ‘P***’ and had his turban knocked off close to his home.
His ‘wicked lie’ left the student ‘dying alone, humiliated and handcuffed’ as he lay in a pool of his blood from a fatal 8cm chest wound, prosecution lawyer Nicholas Lobbenberg told the jury at Southampton crown court.
In sentencing Digwa, Judge William Mousley said: ‘I am sure that Henry said nothing racist.
‘You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character.’
Speaking outside court, Henry’s father Mark Nowak criticised the police who responded to the incident, saying: ‘Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved.
‘We hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100% 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.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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