Watchdog probes two police after dying UK student handcuffed
Demonstrators hold two pictures, one of Henry Nowak and another of handcuffs, during a protest outside Southampton Central Police Station following the conviction of Vikrum Digwa for the murder of student Henry Nowak, in Southampton, Britain, on Jun 2, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/Isabel Infantes)
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LONDON: Two United Kingdom police officers are under investigation after a teenage student was handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed, the police watchdog said on Wednesday (Jul 1).
Police handcuffed the fatally wounded student, 18-year-old Henry Nowak, after his attacker Vickrum Digwa falsely claimed he had been racially abused by the teenager.
The case had sparked anger and protests, drawing reactions from British leaders and far-right commentators.
The two officers now under investigation for possible gross misconduct were the first at the scene after the December attack in the southern city of Southampton, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
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“The evidence indicates that both officers … may have potentially breached the professional behaviour standards,” it added in a statement.
The watchdog pointed to “potential failures by the officers to recognise that Henry needed urgent medical attention, to immediately act after he said he had been stabbed and he couldn’t breathe”, the statement said.
It also highlighted the “decision to arrest and handcuff Henry rather than provide immediate first aid”.
Nowak, a finance and accounting university student, told officers he had been stabbed, but was initially dismissed. He died from his wounds soon after.
Digwa, a British Sikh, lied at the scene and told police he was the victim as Nowak, who was white, had racially insulted him.
The 23-year-old was sentenced to life in prison for murder on Jun 1 and must spend at least 21 years in jail.
The police force involved in the case has since apologised for handcuffing Nowak.
“Two officers will now face gross misconduct investigations,” the IOPC’s director of engagement Derrick Campbell said.
The watchdog said it was also investigating whether race or religion impacted any of the officers’ actions.
“There is clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed by this incident, and that is a factor we must consider,” Campbell said.
The high-profile case sparked a furore – and violent skirmishes – as far-right figures claimed the officers’ initial response proved police forces treat white people and ethnic minorities differently.
Source: AFP/rl
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