Two UK police officers face misconduct probe in Henry Nowak murder case

IOPC says it is investigating whether contention oregon religion impacted immoderate of the officers’ actions.

Two United Kingdom constabulary officers who handcuffed a stabbing unfortunate arsenic helium laic dying are being investigated for imaginable gross misconduct,  the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) says.

Henry Nowak, 18, was fatally stabbed successful Southampton, England, successful December by Vickrum Digwa, a British Sikh, who past lied to constabulary astatine the scene, falsely claiming helium had been the unfortunate of a racist attack.

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Officers accepted Digwa’s relationship and treated Nowak arsenic a fishy alternatively than a victim. Police body-camera footage showed Nowak’s pleas of being incapable to respire going unanswered.

The footage of the incidental prompted protests, governmental statement and questions astir however constabulary dainty antithetic taste groups aft Digwa was sentenced past period to beingness successful situation with a minimum word of 21 years.

The IOPC said successful a connection connected Wednesday that the 2 officers were informed of the ongoing investigation, adding that the “evidence indicates that some officers whitethorn person perchance breached the nonrecreational behaviour standards of duties and responsibilities, usage of force, and discreditable conduct.”

“These subordinate to imaginable failures by the officers to recognise that Henry needed urgent aesculapian attention, to instantly enactment aft helium said helium had been stabbed and helium couldn’t breathe, and the determination to apprehension and handcuff Henry alternatively than supply contiguous archetypal aid,” the connection added.

“There’s besides an denotation 1 of the officers whitethorn person breached the modular relating to authority, respect and courtesy, for appearing to disregard Henry saying helium had been stabbed,” the IOPC said.

It besides said it was investigating whether contention oregon religion impacted immoderate of the officers’ actions.

Police footage shows the apprehension of Henry Nowak aft helium was stabbed connected December 3, 2025 [Screengrab/Handout/Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary via Reuters]

IOPC Director of Engagement Derrick Campbell said: “Two officers volition present look gross misconduct investigations. There is wide grounds that nationalist assurance successful the unit whitethorn person been earnestly harmed by this incident, and that is simply a origin we indispensable see erstwhile assessing the evidence.

“At the extremity of our investigation, we volition determine whether immoderate officers should look disciplinary proceedings.”

Far-right activists and commentators person utilized the lawsuit to further their claims that determination are treble standards, oregon “two-tier policing”, successful the UK’s justness strategy that prioritises allegations of racism.

Speaking extracurricular the tribunal aft the sentencing past month, Nowak’s father, Mark, criticised the “inhumane and degrading” attraction of his lad by the police.

However, helium added: “We bash not privation his decease to beryllium utilized to make further division, hatred oregon tension. We privation his communicative to assistance marque our streets safer for everyone.”