Henry Nowak (left) and Vikrum Degua (right)
Hampshire Police’s chief constable has apologized to the family of 18-year-old Henry Novak, who was handcuffed and arrested by officers moments before he died after being fatally stabbed by 23-year-old Indian-origin Sikh man Vikrum Singh Dhigwa in Southampton last December.Police Chief Alexis Bone told the BBC he was “sorry” for the way officers treated the teenager, and acknowledged the distress caused by body camera footage that showed Nowak repeatedly telling police he had been stabbed and couldn’t breathe.“What was filmed there is a tragedy, an absolute tragedy. You can’t help but be affected by it. It’s very difficult to watch. I really feel for Henry’s family at this time,” Bone told the radio.“I’m so sorry you had to go through this,” he added, reiterating his apologies on behalf of the force for handcuffing Nowak and arresting him as he lay dying.The apology came days after 23-year-old Vikram Dhigwa was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years for Nowak’s murder.DeGoa falsely claimed that the teen racially abused him and removed his turban, leading officers to initially treat Nowak as a suspect rather than a victim.
A video widely circulated on social media after the trial showed the final moments before Novak died. The footage shows the teenager lying on the ground while officers handcuff him and try to sit him up. He repeatedly told police he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe.
“You were stabbed? Where are you?” he heard one of the officers ask. Another responds: “Don’t think you have, my friend.”Nowak can also be heard saying, “I can’t breathe,” as officers continue to question him.
Police later realized the severity of his injuries, so they removed his handcuffs and began CPR, but he died at the scene.The fatal stabbing occurred as Nowak was returning home after a night out with friends on December 3. Degoa attacked him with a large kirpan, a ceremonial article of faith in Sikhism.During the trial, the court heard that Degoa then tried to portray himself as the victim by falsely accusing Nowak of a racist attack.Despite mounting criticism, Bone said he would not resign and would await the outcome of the investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).He confirmed that one of the officers shown in the camera footage has since left the force for unrelated reasons, while three others are no longer on front-line duties.The handling of the incident sparked widespread outrage across the UK. Public anger intensified after the body camera footage was released, with critics accusing police of failing to properly assess the situation and prioritizing Degoa’s claims over Novak’s requests for help.The controversy also sparked protests in Southampton. Two people were arrested and 11 police officers and a police dog were injured after demonstrators clashed with police near the site of the fatal stabbing incident.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joined local MPs in condemning the violence, while Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said Nowak’s family were “disappointed” by the scenes.Jones called the teen’s death a “national tragedy,” saying DeGoa’s false claims were part of a deliberate attempt to portray himself as the victim.Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, asked people not to use his son’s death to inflame racial or religious tensions. After the sentencing, he said the family hoped the tragedy would lead to safer streets, but warned against creating “further division, hatred or tension”.