Prime Minister Questions Police Handling of Henry Nowak Death After Bodycam Release
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has stated there are “serious questions for police” after bodycam footage revealed officers’ response to the murder of Henry Nowak. The 18-year-old student was handcuffed and heard saying, “I can’t breathe,” following a false claim of a racist attack by his killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, who has since been jailed for a minimum of 21 years.
Police Actions Under Scrutiny
Sir Keir emphasised the need to address “how accusations of racism informed decision making” in the incident, describing the footage as “really harrowing.” The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed an ongoing investigation into the police force’s actions.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood cautioned against politicisation of the case, citing threats that led to a police officer’s relocation after being wrongly identified online. However, she affirmed that “everyone in this country is equal before the law,” countering allegations of “two-tier policing” made by figures like Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who expressed “cold rage” over Nowak’s treatment.
Nowak’s family described his treatment by officers as “inhumane and degrading.” His father, Mark Nowak, stated, “Henry told officers that he could not breathe nine times. He told them that he had been stabbed four times. Henry was pulled across the gravel, his hands forced behind his back and he was placed in handcuffs.” The family highlighted the “unbearable” contrast in how Henry and Digwa were treated. The force has issued an apology.
Legal and Community Repercussions
The Attorney General’s Office is reviewing Digwa’s sentence after receiving multiple requests under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Digwa had used a 21cm blade, significantly larger than the traditional kirpan, a small curved blade legally permitted for practising Sikhs. Digwa’s family apologised for bringing the Sikh community into “disrepute,” affirming their sorrow for the Nowak family.
Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi accused Reform UK of attempting to “scapegoat” the Sikh community based on one individual’s actions. The prosecutor in the case emphasised, “This is not a case about Sikhism, this is not a case about racism, this is a case about murder.”
Separately, Digwa’s father, Moga Singh, and brother, Gurpreet, face charges for possession of offensive weapons, including an extendable baton, knuckle dusters, and a sword. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was found guilty of assisting an offender for attempting to hide the blade.
Three officers involved in the incident remain in service, while one has resigned. The Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has requested a review of the force’s control room culture and officer training.
