Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered an independent review into the murder of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak, examining whether authorities missed opportunities to prevent his death and how his family were treated afterwards.
The review, announced on Monday 26 October 2026, will be led by former Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk KC. Its first report is due within five months, by March 2027.
Henry was stabbed to death in Southampton on 3 December 2025 by Vickrum Digwa, who was later convicted of murder. The case prompted widespread concern after police body-worn footage showed officers handcuffing the critically injured teenager despite his telling them he had been stabbed and could not breathe.
What will the independent review investigate?
The Home Office’s published terms of reference establish two phases.
Phase one will reconstruct what police, health bodies, councils, education authorities, employers and relevant faith organisations knew about Digwa during the five years before Henry’s death. It will examine reports or complaints involving weapons, threats, violent or erratic behaviour, and whether agencies adequately assessed and shared information about risks to others.
It will also scrutinise how the Nowak family were informed and supported by the police, Crown Prosecution Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and prison and probation services. The terms specifically include the family’s concerns about information-sharing relating to the early release from custody of Digwa’s mother, Kiran Kaur. Those concerns are within the review’s remit; the review has not yet reached findings about them.
Phase two will take place after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) completes its current investigation. It will examine the watchdog’s handling of the case and, where necessary, police actions. Its precise scope and timing will be settled after consultation with Henry’s family.
What happened to Henry Nowak?
Henry, a University of Southampton student, was attacked while returning from a night out. Digwa stabbed him five times. In June 2026 he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. His mother was also convicted of assisting an offender after removing the weapon from the scene, and was sentenced to three years in July.
Digwa falsely claimed he had been the victim of a racially motivated attack. When police arrived, they initially handcuffed Henry and told him he was under arrest. According to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s account, officers removed the handcuffs and began emergency treatment once they recognised the severity of his condition.
A pathologist told the murder trial that nothing the officers could have done at the scene would have saved Henry’s life because of the severity of his internal injuries. That medical evidence does not settle the separate question of whether the police response was appropriate.
Two police officers under investigation
In July, the IOPC confirmed that two officers were being investigated for potential gross misconduct. It cited possible failures to recognise Henry needed urgent medical attention, act on his repeated statements that he had been stabbed, and provide immediate first aid instead of handcuffing him.
The watchdog is also examining the actions of control-room staff and whether race or religion influenced police decisions. An investigation is not a finding of misconduct, and the IOPC has not yet announced a final outcome.
Separately, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services began an inspection of the force’s response to serious violence in August. That work concerns systems, training and organisational processes, rather than deciding the conduct of individual officers.
Family welcomes decision but says fight continues
In a statement published by the Home Office, Henry’s family called the announcement a significant moment in their fight for justice. They said their experience of the criminal justice system had been deeply disappointing and that they hoped the investigations and inquest would produce answers, accountability and meaningful change.
Alex Chalk said serious questions had been raised about whether authorities failed to act on earlier concerns about Digwa. He pledged that his review would follow the evidence without fear or favour.
Mahmood said the government must establish what happened before, during and after Henry’s death, so lessons can be learned.
What happens next?
The first review report is expected by March 2027. The IOPC investigation is continuing, and Henry’s inquest is currently expected in September 2027. The new review cannot decide criminal or civil liability, revisit sentencing decisions or prejudge misconduct proceedings. Its remit also excludes changes to the law on knives and other bladed articles.
These are distinct processes. The independent review will look for missed warnings and failures of support, the police watchdog will assess specific police conduct, and the separate inspectorate investigation will examine the force’s wider procedures.
Sources: Home Office announcement, 26 October 2026; review terms of reference; IOPC update; Hampshire Police court report.
