UK police watchdog investigates officers over Henry Nowak arrest
The IOPC says two officers may have committed gross misconduct after handcuffing the 18-year-old stabbing victim in Southampton.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Britain’s police watchdog is investigating two officers for possible gross misconduct over their treatment of Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old who was handcuffed after being stabbed in Southampton. The case has drawn scrutiny because body-camera footage showed officers treating Nowak as a suspect while he said he had been stabbed and could not breathe, according to Al Jazeera and The Associated Press.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said Wednesday that the officers had been told they were under investigation. The watchdog said evidence suggested both may have breached professional standards covering duties and responsibilities, use of force and conduct that could bring policing into disrepute.
Nowak was killed in December 2025 by Vickrum Digwa, a British Sikh man, according to Al Jazeera and AP. Digwa told police at the scene that he had been the victim of a racist attack, a claim that was false, the reports said.
Officers accepted Digwa’s account and handled Nowak as a suspect instead of as the victim, according to the reports. Police body-camera video showed Nowak saying he could not breathe, with those pleas not acted on, Al Jazeera and AP reported.
Watchdog examines officers’ response
The IOPC said its investigation will examine whether the officers failed to see that Nowak needed urgent medical care, failed to respond immediately after he said he had been stabbed and could not breathe, and chose to arrest and handcuff him instead of giving first aid.
The watchdog also said one officer may have breached standards on authority, respect and courtesy by appearing to disregard Nowak’s statement that he had been stabbed. The IOPC said it is also looking at whether race or religion affected any of the officers’ actions.
Derrick Campbell, the IOPC director of engagement, said the two officers will now face gross misconduct investigations. He said there was clear evidence that public trust in the force may have been seriously damaged by the incident, and that the watchdog must weigh that issue when assessing the evidence.
Campbell said the IOPC will decide at the end of its investigation whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.
Case fuels public debate
Digwa was sentenced last month to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years, according to Al Jazeera and AP. After the sentencing and the release of footage, the case prompted protests, political argument and questions about how police treat people from different ethnic groups, the reports said.
Far-right activists and commentators have used the killing to promote claims that Britain’s justice system operates with double standards, including accusations of so-called “two-tier policing,” according to Al Jazeera and AP. Those claims centre on the argument that allegations of racism receive priority treatment.
Outside court after Digwa’s sentencing, Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, condemned what he called the “inhumane and degrading” way police treated his son, according to the reports.
Mark Nowak also urged people not to use his son’s death to stir division, hatred or tension. He said he wanted Henry Nowak’s story to help make streets safer for everyone, Al Jazeera and AP reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.