Independent review announced into murder of student Henry Nowak

Independent review to examine events surrounding Henry Nowak’s murder

Ninoda.com – An independent review will investigate the circumstances surrounding the murder of Southampton student Henry Nowak, including whether opportunities were missed to prevent his death and how his family was treated by the justice system.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the inquiry in the House of Commons on Monday. The review follows the death of 18-year-old Henry, who was stabbed in Southampton in December 2025. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, was sentenced to life imprisonment on 1 June and must serve at least 21 years before he can be considered for release.

Digwa had claimed, falsely, that he had been subjected to racial abuse and had acted to protect himself. The case drew national attention after police body-worn video emerged showing Henry being handcuffed while critically injured on the ground.

“We must get to truth of what happened before, during and after that awful night and we must do everything in our power to ensure that no family suffers the same fate,” Mahmood told the House of Commons.

The footage prompted searching questions about the response of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. It also intensified broader public discussion about knife crime, confidence in policing, race and the relationship between communities and the authorities.

Two-stage examination of agencies and police response

The Home Office said the review will proceed in two stages under the leadership of former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC. Its first phase will consider the role of a range of bodies that may have held relevant information before Henry’s murder.

Those bodies include the police, health services, local authorities, education providers and faith organisations. The review will assess whether concerns had been raised about weapon possession or violent behaviour, and whether any intervention might have prevented the killing.

This part of the process is intended to look beyond the immediate events in Southampton. By examining information-sharing, safeguarding and earlier warning signs, the review will seek to establish whether institutions acted appropriately when potential risks were known or should reasonably have been identified.

A second stage is planned once the Independent Office for Police Conduct has completed its own investigation into officers who attended the scene. That later phase will examine the conduct of the IOPC and, where required, the police response itself.

The police watchdog began its investigation after the bodycam recording showed Henry telling officers repeatedly that he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe. He remained on the ground while officers spoke with Digwa and other people nearby.

A judge later concluded during sentencing that Henry would not have survived his injuries even if medical help had reached him sooner. Even so, the handling of the incident remains central to concerns raised by his relatives and others who have called for clear accountability.

Family welcomes move in continuing search for answers

Henry’s family described the announcement as an important development in their campaign for justice. They said they hoped the review, together with the ongoing investigations and the inquest, would establish the complete picture and lead to meaningful accountability and change.

“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,” they added in a statement.

“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.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also backed the decision to commission the review.

“There must be proper accountability for those who failed Henry and his family,” she said.

The review is expected to report within five months. Its findings could carry significance beyond this individual case, particularly if it identifies shortcomings in how organisations recognise risks, respond to reports of violence or support bereaved families during criminal investigations.

A student’s death that became a wider public concern

Henry was from Chafford Hundred in Essex and was studying accountancy and finance in his first year at the University of Southampton. His death shocked fellow students, his home community and people across the city where he was killed.

On the night of the murder, it was Digwa’s brother who called 999. He alleged that Vickrum Digwa had been attacked in an incident he described as racial. That account was later undermined by the criminal case, in which Digwa was convicted of murder.

With the permission of Henry’s family, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary released the bodycam footage. The recording showed officers’ interactions at the scene while Henry was fatally injured. Its publication was followed by violent disorder in Southampton in the days that followed.

Henry’s father, Mark Nowak, called after the sentencing for an investigation that was “full, fearless and transparent”. At the same time, he urged people not to turn his son’s death into a basis for greater hostility or division.

The independent review will now run alongside the inquest and the police watchdog’s work. Each process has a distinct role: the criminal trial has determined Digwa’s responsibility for the murder, while the remaining inquiries will focus on the actions of public bodies, the decisions made on the night and whether lessons must be learned.

For Henry’s family, the central issue is not only what happened in the final moments of his life, but whether earlier action could have changed the course of events and whether institutions responded to them with the support and care they needed. The review’s eventual conclusions will be closely watched as they address those questions.