A police watchdog group is expanding its investigation into the Hampshire Police after 18-year-old Henry Nowak was handcuffed moments after he was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, with investigators now examining whether nearby anti-asylum protests may have influenced officers' actions. Police initially blamed Nowak for the incident, believing his attacker who accused Nowak of racism.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is expected to announce this week that it has widened its inquiry to consider whether officers mistakenly treated Nowak as a suspect because of demonstrations taking place near an asylum hotel close to the scene. In other words, did police believe that the white stabbing victim was at fault because other white British people were upset about mass migration?
The watchdog has been investigating the incident for the past six months following Nowak's killing in Southampton in December. While the scope of the inquiry has grown, the IOPC has reaffirmed that it will not open misconduct investigations into the individual officers involved. Instead, those officers will remain witnesses in the investigation. When Nowak told the officers he'd been stabbed, one of them replied "I don't think you have, mate." Nowak bled to death on the ground.
The probe will examine Hampshire Police's decision to detain and handcuff Nowak, along with officers' use of first aid after the attack. However, none of the officers have been served with notices of investigation.
The stabbing occurred a short distance from Highfield House Hotel, where anti-migration protests have taken place since May last year. In the months before the killing, police responded to several incidents in the area, including arrests involving asylum seekers, an arson investigation after a flare was fired through a hotel window, clashes between protesters and migrants, and multiple dispersal orders. One of those orders was issued just days before Nowak was killed.
Last month, Vickrum Digwa was sentenced for Nowak's murder after making false claims that he had been the victim of a racist attack. An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have been updating our terms of reference following recent discussions with Henry's family.
“Once all concerned parties are notified we will be in a position to provide further information.”
The expanded inquiry comes days after reports revealed Hampshire Police initially described the incident in a public statement by saying: "It was reported two men had been assaulted by an unknown man," he said according to GB News. Those two men were the Vickrum brothers, one of whom attacked Nowak before the two colluded to tell a false story to police in an attempt to escape consquences for stabbing Nowak 5 times even as he tried to run away.
Responding to criticism of that statement, a Hampshire Police spokesperson said: "Following the opening of the trial and the media reporting that followed, a significant amount of mis- and disinformation was circulating online.
"This included requests for information to be shared that had not been fully examined as part of the murder trial. The intention of the statement was to remind the public that there were ongoing legal proceedings and that the law is clear that nothing could be published which could prejudice the trial. The decision not to publish was taken following advice from the CPS."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is expected to announce this week that it has widened its inquiry to consider whether officers mistakenly treated Nowak as a suspect because of demonstrations taking place near an asylum hotel close to the scene. In other words, did police believe that the white stabbing victim was at fault because other white British people were upset about mass migration?
The watchdog has been investigating the incident for the past six months following Nowak's killing in Southampton in December. While the scope of the inquiry has grown, the IOPC has reaffirmed that it will not open misconduct investigations into the individual officers involved. Instead, those officers will remain witnesses in the investigation. When Nowak told the officers he'd been stabbed, one of them replied "I don't think you have, mate." Nowak bled to death on the ground.
The probe will examine Hampshire Police's decision to detain and handcuff Nowak, along with officers' use of first aid after the attack. However, none of the officers have been served with notices of investigation.
The stabbing occurred a short distance from Highfield House Hotel, where anti-migration protests have taken place since May last year. In the months before the killing, police responded to several incidents in the area, including arrests involving asylum seekers, an arson investigation after a flare was fired through a hotel window, clashes between protesters and migrants, and multiple dispersal orders. One of those orders was issued just days before Nowak was killed.
Last month, Vickrum Digwa was sentenced for Nowak's murder after making false claims that he had been the victim of a racist attack. An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have been updating our terms of reference following recent discussions with Henry's family.
“Once all concerned parties are notified we will be in a position to provide further information.”
The expanded inquiry comes days after reports revealed Hampshire Police initially described the incident in a public statement by saying: "It was reported two men had been assaulted by an unknown man," he said according to GB News. Those two men were the Vickrum brothers, one of whom attacked Nowak before the two colluded to tell a false story to police in an attempt to escape consquences for stabbing Nowak 5 times even as he tried to run away.
Responding to criticism of that statement, a Hampshire Police spokesperson said: "Following the opening of the trial and the media reporting that followed, a significant amount of mis- and disinformation was circulating online.
"This included requests for information to be shared that had not been fully examined as part of the murder trial. The intention of the statement was to remind the public that there were ongoing legal proceedings and that the law is clear that nothing could be published which could prejudice the trial. The decision not to publish was taken following advice from the CPS."
