- Henry Nowak’s family say police “hoodwinked” them after his death
- They say police accounts of the night kept changing
- Police asked his father to approve a press release portraying Henry as the aggressor
- Two officers served gross misconduct notices; IOPC findings due early next year
THE FAMILY of murdered student Henry Nowak have accused police of “hoodwinking” them after his death, saying they fear officers withheld information to protect the force’s reputation, The Times reported.
Nowak, 18, was stabbed five times while walking home in Southampton last December and was handcuffed by police as he lay dying. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed Nowak had racially abused him, was initially treated as the victim.
In body-worn camera footage, Nowak repeatedly said: “I’ve been stabbed.” An officer replied: “Don’t think you have, mate.”
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His father, Mark Nowak, said police accounts of the night kept changing.
“That evolution of what actually happened that night really shocked us, and we felt we were being hoodwinked,” he said.
He said police had asked him to approve a draft press release that portrayed his son as the aggressor. “Tarnishing the victim’s name at that stage was shocking for me to hear.”
His stepmother, Katie Nowak, said: “I fear that some decisions were made to try and protect the police and their reputation rather than help us as a family.”
The family spoke in an ITV documentary, Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice.
Henry Nowak's killer could face a longer sentence
Alexis Boon, chief constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, said: “Henry deserved better. His family deserved better.”
Digwa was jailed for life in June with a minimum term of 21 years. Two officers were served gross misconduct notices in July, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation is expected to conclude early next year, The Times reported.
