The family of 18-year-old Henry Nowak says Hampshire Police failed them repeatedly during the investigation into his murder, alleging that officers presented changing accounts of the events and initially portrayed the student as the aggressor.
Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was a first-year University of Southampton student when he was fatally attacked while walking home from a night out on 3 December 2025. He suffered five stab wounds or cuts from a 21cm blade. Vickrum Digwa was later convicted in connection with his death and said the weapon was a kirpan he carried as part of his Sikh faith.
In body-worn camera footage shown during Digwa’s trial, Nowak can be heard saying, “I’ve been stabbed”. An officer replies: “Don’t think you have, mate.” The family told ITV News they first saw the footage on the opening day of the trial.
Henry’s sister, Olivia, said the footage only became available because there was a trial. His stepmother, Katie Nowak, said the family had feared that the full truth might not emerge if Digwa had pleaded guilty or if they had not hired expert assistance.
Katie Nowak said the family felt “failed multiple times” and feared they had been “manipulated” during their darkest hours. She also questioned whether some decisions had been made to protect the police and its reputation rather than support the family.
Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, said police had given the family differing accounts of what happened and that the explanation appeared to change after each interaction. He also recalled being asked to approve a draft police press release that depicted his son as an aggressor.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Constable Alexis Boon apologised to the family, saying that Henry had been failed in his final moments. He acknowledged that the family had raised serious concerns about the police response and their treatment throughout the investigation and since.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said its investigation into potential failures in the police response is expected to conclude early next year. The family said, however, that a letter received from the watchdog in April stated that no officers would face a conduct or criminal investigation.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced an independent inquiry led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk. The inquiry will examine, among other issues, any missed opportunities to intervene.
The family’s comments appear in a forthcoming ITV documentary, Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice, which will air on 5 November at 21:00 GMT on ITV, ITVX and the ITV News YouTube channel.
Sources: BBC News UK.