Henry Nowak murder case triggers national outrage over policing, knife crime and public trust. The case sparks national debate over Police conduct and public trust”
By Cicero’s Crime News Desk | 3 June 2026
SOUTHAMPTON — The fatal stabbing of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak in December 2025 has sparked violent protests in Southampton after the release of distressing bodycam footage showing police officers handcuffing him as he lay dying from multiple stab wounds.
Nowak, a first-year finance student at the University of Southampton, was attacked in the Portswood area while walking home alone after a night out with friends on 3 December 2025. His killer, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, stabbed him five times with a 21cm ceremonial Sikh dagger (kirpan or shastar), including a fatal wound to the heart.
Digwa filmed Nowak as he tried to flee and collapsed.
When officers arrived, Digwa falsely claimed that Nowak had racially abused him, punched him and pulled off his turban. Police initially treated the severely injured teenager as the aggressor, handcuffing him on the ground despite his repeated pleas of “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe.” Nowak died in police custody around 67 minutes after the attack, with medical assistance delayed.
Conviction and Sentencing
Digwa was convicted of murder at Southampton Crown Court and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. The judge rejected his self-defence claims, criticised his false racism allegations for stirring up racial tension, and told him he had brought shame on his family, community and religion. Digwa’s mother was convicted of assisting an offender for hiding the weapon. Vickrum Digwa and his brother and father have appeared in court charged with a total of 22 weapons offences.
The 23-year-old, who was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Henry Nowak, appeared at a magistrates’ court to face six counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a private place.
The alleged weapons are a flick knife, an extendable baton known as an asp, knuckledusters, a machete, swords and kusaris, Japanese weapons consisting of weighted chains.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he “felt sick” watching the footage. Hampshire Police has issued a public apology, describing Nowak’s treatment as wrong, and one officer has reportedly resigned. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the officers’ actions.
Protests Erupt into Violence
The release of the bodycam footage this week triggered large protests. On the evening of 2 June, hundreds gathered outside Southampton Central Police Station. The demonstration then moved towards the St Denys/Portswood area near the scene of the killing and Digwa’s family home.
The protest turned violent, with riot police pelted with bricks, bottles, cans, chairs and wheelie bins, some of which were set alight. Clashes broke out and arrests were made. Anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson addressed the crowd at the police station.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood strongly condemned the disorder, describing the violence as “completely unacceptable” and “disgraceful”. She said there was “no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder” and praised the Nowak family’s call for restraint.
Nigel Farage has waded into the case with his own ‘racial’ two-tier Police agenda remarks
Nigel Farage has highlighted this case as evidence of a “two-tier Britain,” arguing that police prioritised fear of a racism accusation over assisting a dying white victim, reflecting what he describes as institutional “anti-white prejudice.”
He has called for an end to such disparities and stated that “white lives matter just as much as black lives,” while praising the Nowak family’s dignity.
Critics contend that Farage’s remarks, particularly references to race and ethnicity in policing outcomes, are divisive and risk inflaming tensions. The Nowak family has urged against using the tragedy to create further hatred or division.
Family’s Plea for Calm
Henry’s family has urged the public not to use his death to create further division or hatred. His father, Mark Nowak, condemned the “inhumane and degrading” treatment his son received but emphasised that they want the tragedy to lead to safer streets for everyone. The family has called for knife crime to be treated as a national emergency.
Comparisons to George Floyd
Many have drawn parallels with the 2020 death of George Floyd in the United States due to the “I can’t breathe” pleas and questions over police conduct. However, key differences remain: Floyd died during an arrest with an officer kneeling on his neck, whereas Nowak was the victim of a stabbing, and officers appear to have been influenced by the killer’s immediate false claim of racism. The case has intensified debates about “two-tier policing”, police handling of racism allegations, and knife crime.
Separate Political Context
The events in Southampton are unrelated to the upcoming Makerfield by-election on 18 June, where Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is standing as the Labour candidate against Reform UK in what is expected to be a closely watched contest.
This remains a fast-moving and highly emotive story. The IOPC investigation continues, public trust in policing has been damaged, and tensions around knife crime and community relations are high. The Nowak family’s grief is at the heart of it all.
