Henry Nowak murder: two officers under gross misconduct investigation

Two police officers in the case of Henry Nowak have been placed under investigation for gross misconduct by the police watchdog. Nowak, 18, died in December 2025 after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton. Digwa falsely told police he had been the victim of a racist attack , which led officers to handcuff Nowak and treat him as a suspect, despite him saying he had been stabbed and that he could not breathe. The investigation will also consider whether race was a factor. The case triggered claims from the far right that Nowak’s treatment had stemmed from an anti-white bias. The Independent Office for Police Conduct had been treating officers involved as witnesses, meaning they believed there had been no possible wrongdoing. On Wednesday, the policing watchdog said they had changed that view, which in part follows meetings they had with the Nowak family and their lawyer, and a formal complaint from the family of the murdered student. Bodycam footage shows Vickrum Digwa lying to police before his arrest – video The IOPC said it would look at “whether the race or religion of either Henry or the Digwa family impacted on the actions and decision-making of the officers, whether officers’ decisions were influenced by assumptions or prejudice relating to community tensions at the time”. …