UK Police Face Backlash After Handcuffing Dying Student in Southampton Case
Controversy Surrounding Police Actions in the Death of Henry Nowak
By Sarah Young
Incident Overview
LONDON, June 2 (Reuters) - British police faced a backlash on Tuesday over the case of an 18-year-old student who was handcuffed as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack.
Henry Nowak died after the knife attack in the southern England city of Southampton in December last year. His murderer Vickrum Digwa, a 23-year-old Sikh man, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, having lied to police at the time that Nowak had assaulted him.
In police bodycam footage, Nowak is seen lying on the street saying "I've been stabbed" and "I can't breathe" while an officer responds "I don't think you have mate".
Political and Public Reaction
Statements from Political Figures
Nigel Farage, whose anti-immigration Reform party leads opinion polls, said it was an example of the rights of ethnic minorities trumping those of white British people.
"The fear of being called racist was greater than dealing with Henry Nowak’s murder," he said in a statement.
"We should respond to this with pure cold rage."
Impact on Racial Tensions
Judge William Mousley acknowledged in court on Monday that the case had stirred racial tension across Britain. A protest is expected in Southampton on Tuesday evening and others have been advertised online for this week.
Police Conduct Under Scrutiny
Bodycam Footage and Public Outcry
'Shocking' Police Conduct
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Cabinet Office minister, told BBC Radio that the bodycam footage was "harrowing", adding: "The conduct of the police when you look at it at the scene is shocking".
Digwa stabbed Nowak with a knife he said he was permitted to carry due to exemptions for Sikhs to have ceremonial daggers.
When the police arrived, Digwa said his turban had been knocked off and he had an injury to his eye.
Family Response
Nowak's family called his treatment by police "inhumane and degrading" but in a statement outside court, his father said his death should not be "used to create further division, hatred or tension."
Comparisons to Other High-Profile Cases
Farage sought to draw parallels with the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the U.S. which sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. Floyd had said "I can't breathe" as a police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.
Aftermath and Investigation
Police Response and Apology
Nowak died shortly after being handcuffed by police. Once they realised he was injured, they uncuffed him and started CPR.
The police force, Hampshire Police, which has apologised, is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Ongoing Investigation
"The details of the police response raises serious concerns about police impartiality, fairness and judgement," police commissioner Donna Jones said, adding that the findings of the investigation would be published without delay.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton and Andrew Cawthorne)
