Two officers face misconduct probe in Nowak case

Two police officers who handcuffed and arrested 18-year-old Henry Nowak as he lay dying from a stab wound are being investigated for potential gross misconduct, the police watchdog has said.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said evidence indicates the first two officers to arrive at the scene in Southampton may have breached professional standards. The investigation centers on whether the officers failed to recognize that Nowak needed urgent medical attention, failed to act immediately after he said he had been stabbed and could not breathe, and chose to arrest and handcuff him instead of providing immediate first aid.

Nowak was fatally stabbed in December 2025 by Vickrum Digwa, who used a large blade he said he carried on grounds of his Sikh faith. Digwa then lied to police at the scene, falsely claiming he was the victim of a racist attack. He was jailed for life in June with a minimum term of 21 years.

The IOPC said the officers may have potentially breached standards relating to duties and responsibilities, use of force and discreditable conduct. “There’s also an indication one of the officers may have breached the standard relating to authority, respect and courtesy, for appearing to dismiss Henry saying he had been stabbed,” the watchdog said.

According to the BBC, it took officers eight minutes after arriving at the scene to discover Nowak’s fatal stab wound. Al Jazeera reported that police body-camera footage showed Nowak’s pleas that he could not breathe going unanswered. The footage prompted protests, political debate and questions about how police treat different ethnic groups after Digwa was sentenced.

IOPC Director of Engagement Derrick Campbell said investigators had met Nowak’s family earlier this month after criminal proceedings concluded. “Two officers will now face gross misconduct investigations. There is clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed by this incident, and that is a factor we must consider when assessing the evidence,” Campbell said.

He added: “The serving of gross misconduct notices does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow. At the end of our investigation we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.”

The watchdog said it has expanded its independent investigation after recent discussions with Nowak’s family, who have made formal complaints about Hampshire police. It is examining the officers’ actions at the scene, including the decision to arrest Nowak, the use of handcuffs and the first aid provided. It is also reviewing the decisions and actions of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary control room staff, including how calls about the incident were handled and what information was passed to attending officers and the ambulance service.

The IOPC said it will investigate whether the race or religion of either Nowak or the Digwa family affected officers’ actions and decision-making, and whether assumptions or prejudice linked to community tensions at the time influenced police decisions. In the months before Nowak’s death, the nearby Highfield House Hotel in Portswood had been the focus of anti-immigration protests and counterprotests by Stand Up To Racism.

The watchdog will also examine complaints from Nowak’s family about differences in how officers treated Henry compared with how Digwa and members of his family were treated during their arrests. In a statement read outside court in June, Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, compared his son’s “inhumane and degrading” treatment by police with the “decency” shown to his murderer. Al Jazeera reported that Mark Nowak also said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension. We want his story to help make our streets safer for everyone.”

Hampshire police has previously apologised to the Nowak family for the way Henry was treated by its officers.

Protests erupted in Southampton on June 2 after police bodycam footage showing the officers’ interactions with Nowak was released. Twelve police officers and a police dog were injured. Southampton Sikh community leaders later called for “peace and harmony,” and the Council of Southampton Gurdwaras condemned Digwa’s actions and said street violence should never be tolerated.

The attorney general’s office has referred Digwa’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. A full inquest into Nowak’s death is due to be held in Winchester next year.