Mahmood Announces Chalk-Led Review of Henry Nowak Murder

The UK government has launched an independent review into the circumstances surrounding the death of student Henry Nowak.

The inquiry will examine whether authorities failed to act on warning signs regarding the perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa. It will also assess how the criminal justice system treated the victim's family after the killing. The review is set to produce initial findings within five months.

Nowak, 18, was fatally stabbed in December while walking home in Southampton. Police handcuffed him while he bled out after Digwa accused him of racial abuse. Body-worn camera footage captured Nowak repeatedly stating he had been stabbed. An officer responded by telling him not to think he had.

The incident sparked public protests and allegations of two-tier policing. It also led to a rise in racist attacks against the UK's Sikh community. Digwa, 23, carried two knives, including a kirpan, on the night of the attack. Carrying the blade is permitted in the UK for religious purposes.

Former Conservative Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC will lead the review. Speaking in the Commons, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated the inquiry would investigate what was known about the perpetrator. She added it would look at missed opportunities to intervene. Mahmood said her thoughts were with Henry's family and friends, who she described as showing extraordinary courage and dignity.

The review will also consider the actions of the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the police once their investigation concludes. Two officers who arrived first at the scene are under investigation for potential gross misconduct. They are being questioned about why they did not recognize Nowak needed urgent medical attention. The investigation also looks at the decision to arrest him instead of providing first aid.

Digwa has faced prior accusations of threatening behavior. Young local Sikhs reported he used threatening behavior in a Southampton gurdwara in the months before the fatal attack. The Sun reported Digwa brandished an airgun in his back garden in October 2022. A neighbor who recorded him firing shots said she reported it to police, but Hampshire Constabulary could not find a record of the incident.

Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years. He has permission to challenge the length of that sentence at the Court of Appeal on 5 November. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was jailed for three years for assisting an offender. Police found the murder weapon and more than 20 other weapons at the family home after she removed the knife.

Nowak's family welcomed the review as a significant moment in their fight for justice. They said they have fought tirelessly for answers to questions no family should have to ask. The family noted the emotional toll of that fight, alongside the grief of losing Henry, has been immense. They hope the review, along with ongoing investigations and the inquest, will uncover the full truth. The family stated their experience of the criminal justice system was deeply disappointing and they are determined no other family should endure the same.