Police Apologise After Dying Student Was Handcuffed Following False Racism Claim
“I am deeply sorry that Henry could not be saved. I’m sorry that in the moments before he lost consciousness, he had been handcuffed and arrested," police said.
Police have issued a public apology after officers mistakenly arrested an 18-year-old university student who was fatally wounded in a stabbing attack in Southampton.
Hampshire Constabulary issued the apology following the conviction of 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, who was found guilty of murdering first-year finance student Henry Nowak on 3 December 2025 with a Sikh kirpan ceremonial knife featuring an eight-inch (21cm) blade.
During the incident, Digwa allegedly told officers he had been the victim of a racist attack and failed to disclose that he had stabbed Nowak five times. As a result, responding officers initially handcuffed and arrested the teenager while he was suffering from severe internal injuries.
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said the force was “deeply sorry” for what occurred.
“First and foremost, this is an unspeakable tragedy, and I cannot begin to imagine what Henry’s family have suffered,” DCC France said in a statement released on social media following the verdict.
“I am deeply sorry that Henry could not be saved. I’m sorry that in the moments before he lost consciousness, he had been handcuffed and arrested.”
DCC France said officers arriving at the scene had been misled by Digwa, who “continued to divert the blame, obstruct our inquiries, and never admit the serious harm which had been done.”
“The facts heard in court should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind who was lying to officers that night and why,” he said.
Police said officers were initially responding to reports of an assault and had been informed that a man was being detained at the scene. Acting on the information available at the time, officers attempted to secure what DCC France described as “a complex situation”.
“The attending officers sought to take control of a complex situation,” he said. “And based on what they had been told, they placed Henry in handcuffs and told him he was under arrest.”
However, when Nowak lost consciousness, officers realised the seriousness of his condition.
“But within three minutes of arriving, they realised the severity of his condition,” DCC France said. “The handcuffs were removed, an ambulance was called, and they started CPR.”
According to evidence presented in court, Nowak’s injuries were largely internal and difficult to detect immediately.
“The horrendous injuries Henry suffered were internal,” DCC France said. “The pathologist evidence at court was clear. Sadly, nothing we could have done that night would have saved him.”
He added that the wound “was difficult to find and had caused a significant amount of internal bleeding.”
Three people were arrested at the scene, including Digwa, while a fourth person was later arrested at a nearby address.
DCC France defended the actions of officers, saying they “responded swiftly to a situation which was confusing and unclear” and quickly moved to provide first aid once they understood the extent of Nowak’s injuries.
The force referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct the following day, with an independent investigation into the police response still ongoing.
“We are committed to acting on their findings,” DCC France said.
Paying tribute to the victim, he added, “Henry Novak was an 18-year-old who had his whole future in front of him. That future has been cut short through a senseless attack. Today, the person who’s responsible for killing Henry has rightly been convicted of his murder.”
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