Henry Nowak, 18, was fatally stabbed in Southampton on 3 December 2025 as he walked home from a night out with friends from his football team. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years. According to BBC News, the family has described how the trauma of his death was compounded when they watched body-worn camera footage showing officers handcuffing him as he lay dying.
The Nowak family—father Mark, stepmother Katie, mother Lucy and sister Olivia—spoke to ITV for the documentary Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice about the moment they learned of Henry's death and the subsequent shock of viewing the police footage. It took officers 24 hours to identify Henry's body and notify his family.
Katie described the moment police arrived at their home.
I jumped out of bed and I saw the police car on our driveway. One of the police officers was holding his hat in his hand, and I just knew straight away that something horrific had happened.She recalled Mark's reaction to the news.
He let out a cry that I'll never forget.
Mark spoke of the moment he was told.
I just remember saying 'it's Henry' and breaking down in tears. It's just unbelievable pain.
Officers visited Lucy's home at the same time in the early hours of the morning.
We got that dreaded knock on the door at one o'clock in the morning. They said to me, 'Do you have a son called Henry?… There's been an altercation. And unfortunately, your son has passed away'. No words, no words can explain that feeling.
Olivia described her reaction after hearing the news from her father.
I just remember this scream. It was awful. He screamed 'My boy, my boy'.
What happened at the scene?
In the body-worn camera footage that emerged publicly, Henry can be heard repeatedly telling officers
I've been stabbed, to which an officer responds:
Don't think you have, mate.Digwa had falsely told police that Henry had racially abused him, leading officers to handcuff the student despite his repeated statements about being stabbed.
Katie described the emotional impact of watching the footage.
In the last year, our world has changed twice. The first time was the night that we were told that Henry had died. And the second time was when we watched that video.
The case sparked widespread political outrage when the footage became public. Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was jailed for three years for assisting an offender after she removed the knife used in the attack.
What will the independent review examine?
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced an independent review into the murder, to be led by former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk. The review's first phase will examine information held about Vickrum Digwa during the five years before the murder, including reports of weapons or violent, threatening or erratic behaviour, and how agencies responded.
Chalk stated:
Serious questions have been raised about whether agencies and organisations failed to act on complaints about Digwa's violent and erratic behaviour. My review will follow the evidence without fear or favour. It will also examine how public authorities treated the Nowak family at a time of unimaginable pain.
The review will also assess whether the family received clear, timely information and appropriate support from police, the CPS, courts and probation services. Additionally, the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating police decisions at the scene, including handcuffing, first aid and whether race or religious bias played a role, with two officers potentially facing gross misconduct investigations.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight's Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, said she would ensure the force cooperates with the review and noted that she had requested separate inspection work on force-level systems, processes and culture.
What happens next?
The documentary Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice, a Tonight special, aired on Thursday 5 November at 21:00 GMT on ITV and ITVX. Alex Chalk is expected to submit the first-phase report by March 2027. The inquest is scheduled to take place in September 2027. The review's second phase will follow the conclusion of the IOPC's investigation, with its scope and timing to be settled after consultation with the family.
