Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has commissioned a comprehensive independent investigation into whether authorities missed prior warnings about the killer of eighteen-year-old Henry Nowak during the five years preceding the attack. The teenager tragically lost his life last December after being stabbed five times by twenty-three-year-old Vickrum Digwa while walking home from a night out with friends in Southampton.
Following the stabbing, Digwa falsely claimed he was the target of a racist assault. Responding officers treated Henry as a suspect, handcuffing him as he pleaded that he had been stabbed and struggled to breathe. Bodyworn video recorded an officer telling the dying university student, “Don’t think you have, mate.” Digwa received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years, while two police officers face an ongoing gross misconduct inquiry.
Former Conservative Justice Secretary Alex Chalk KC will examine if police, local councils, health authorities, schools and faith organizations ignored red flags concerning Digwa's volatile conduct and possession of weapons. The probe will additionally scrutinize how police, prosecutors, courts, and prison services handled Henry's grieving family following the tragedy. A subsequent phase will evaluate the police watchdog's management of the case once its active investigation concludes, with initial findings anticipated by March next year.
Addressing the House of Commons, Ms Mahmood stated, “Last December, Henry Nowak’s life was cut short in a horrific and senseless act of violence. My thoughts today are with Henry’s family and his friends, who have shown extraordinary courage and dignity. Today, I can announce an independent review led by a former lord chancellor, the Right Honourable Alex Chalk KC.”
Reacting to the decision, Henry's family described the announcement as positive news after months of campaigning for clarity. In a joint statement, they said, “We hope this review, alongside the ongoing investigations and inquest, will finally uncover the full truth and deliver the accountability and meaningful change we have fought so hard for. Our experience of the criminal justice system has been deeply disappointing, and we are determined that no other family should have to endure what we have. We are particularly grateful to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, for listening to our concerns and taking action; and to the Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC for agreeing to lead the review. This is an important step forward, but there is still a long road ahead. We will not stop fighting until we secure the answers, accountability and meaningful change that Henry, and every family in this country, deserves.”
Mr Chalk pledged that his inquiry would pursue the facts without fear or favour, noting that the family deserved nothing less.
