An officer involved in the Henry Nowak case has resigned, Hampshire Police say, after Sir Keir Starmer said he “felt sick” watching footage of police handcuffing the student as he lay dying.
A spokesperson for the force told the BBC one of the officers had quit but three were continuing to serve.
The prime minister said a full investigation was needed into how “accusations of racism” informed the police’s decision-making.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for murdering the 18-year-old in Southampton.
Footage shows that Mr Nowak, 18, was handcuffed while he lay dying after Digwa told officers he had racially abused him. He is heard saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replies: “Don’t think you have, mate.”
Sir Keir said the footage was “harrowing”, adding: “As a father of a 17-year-old boy, I felt sick watching it.”
Hundreds of protesters gathered and chanted outside Southampton police station on Monday evening, accusing police of racism.
Key Points
- Attorney general's office considering Digwa's sentence
- Family of Vickrum Digwa apologise to Henry Nowak's family
- Downing Street urged to review rules on religious knives after murder
- Hampshire Police Federation 'condemns calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers'
- Kemi Badenoch fights back tears over Henry Nowak death
- In pictures: Protesters demonstrate outside Southampton police station
Laurence Fox and Tommy Robinson support protest
19:04 , Jane Dalton
Both far-right activist Tommy Robinson and actor Laurence Fox were at the protest outside the police station.
Demonstrators support right-wing party leader Rupert Lowe
19:01 , Jane Dalton
Outside Southampton police station, some protesters chanted the name of MP Rupert Lowe – the leader of the Restore Britain party.
A man holding a megaphone on the steps of the police station said: "We need change, we need change in this nation and it has to come from the ground up," the Southampton Daily Echo reports.
He added: "When you go away from here tonight, start meeting, start organising yourselves into community groups."
After falling out with Reform UK, Lowe founded Restore Britain last year and is its only MP.
In pictures: Protesters wave flags and banners
18:43 , Jane Dalton
Protesters brand police 'racist'
18:40 , Jane Dalton
Protesters outside Southampton Central Police Station are chanting “racist police, off our streets,” and “I can’t breathe” - recalling the George Floyd killing.
Outside Southampton Central Police Station, protesters for Henry Nowak chant “racist police, off our streets,” and “I can’t breathe.”
— Jack Hadfield 🇬🇧 (@JackHadders) June 2, 2026
The anti-police sentiment here from local people is through the roof pic.twitter.com/9ybbqLHLxW
Hundreds of protesters gather at police station
18:32 , Jane Dalton
Hundreds of protesters have gathered outside Southampton Central police station after Vickrum Digwa was jailed for murdering Henry Nowak.
Many are waving Union flags and one man is shouting about how police officers handled the murder.
The crowd numbers more than 300, according to the Southampton Daily Echo.
Officer involved in Henry Nowak murder case resigns
18:01 , Daniel Keane
An officer involved in the Henry Nowak case has resigned, Hampshire Police said.
A spokesperson for the force told the BBC: "Three of the officers are still serving, one officer has resigned.
“As the IOPC has confirmed, they are all being treated as witnesses, so not subject to any current restrictions."
Watch: Henry Nowak's father urges government to treat knife crime as national emergency
18:00 , Jane Dalton
Attorney general's office considering murderer's sentence
17:45 , Jane Dalton
The attorney general’s office is considering the jail sentence given to Vickrum Digwa after receiving what it said were “multiple” requests to review it under the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme.
The 23-year-old was sentenced to life to serve a minimum of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
A spokesman for the attorney general’s office said law officers had 28 days from sentencing to make a decision.
Watch in full: Starmer says he felt 'sick' watching Henry Nowak handcuffed after being stabbed
17:41 , Daniel Keane
Sikh professor: Farage ‘rage’ remark will cause fear in minority communities
17:15 , Jane Dalton
Nigel Farage’s comments that the public should respond with “pure cold rage” over the murder of a student by a Sikh man who lied about him as he lay dying will “inspire fear” in minority communities, a religious expert says.
Professor Jagbir Jhutti-Johal branded it “a mistake” for political leaders to frame the case as two-tier policing and said such suggestions “can deepen mistrust and foster division”.
The professor of Sikh studies at the University of Birmingham said killer Vickrum Digwa, who stabbed 18-year-old Mr Nowak and then falsely accused him of being drunk and launching a racist attack, had done the “un-Sikh” thing by lying after the fatal assault.
Starmer says he 'felt sick' watching bodycam footage
17:02 , Daniel Keane
Sir Keir Starmer has said he “felt sick” watching footage of police handcuffing student Henry Nowak as he lay dying, and that there are “serious questions” to answer about the case.
The Prime Minister said the footage was “harrowing”, adding: “I have to say, as a father of a 17-year-old boy, I felt sick watching it.”
Mahmood warns against ‘inflammatory’ remarks after Farage calls for ‘cold rage’
16:55 , Jane Dalton
Vickrum Digwa’s family say they are ‘deeply sorry’ to Henry Nowak’s relatives
Police watchdog must ask all necessary questions, says minister
16:38 , Jane Dalton
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds says the Independent Office for Police Conduct should investigate what happened when Henry Nowak was murdered.
Asked to comment on Nigel Farage’s claim that the police officers who handcuffed Mr Nowak were “more concerned by an accusation of racism than an act of murder”, Mr Thomas-Symonds replied: “I accept, in this, what has happened here, the heinous events we’ve seen, the chilling and harrowing footage, there are serious questions to answer. Nobody is disputing that.
“It must be for the Independent Office for Police Conduct, without fear or favour, to ask all the questions that are necessary to get to the truth of what happened here.”
Home secretary pledges to discuss knife laws with Sikhs
16:12 , Jane Dalton
A review of exemptions to knife legislation is “worthy of serious consideration” the home secretary has suggested, but declined to agree to a formal review.
Liberal Democrat MP for Tewkesbury, Cameron Thomas, had said: “This murder may give reasonable grounds to review existing exemptions to knife legislation on the grounds of religious reasons and national dress.
“I know that the home secretary wants to halve knife crime within the next 10 years. What message do these exemptions give, is she honestly going to rule out at least a review?”
Shabana Mahmood replied: “Our religious freedoms and the arrangements we have are long standing and have been designed to strike the right balance between religious freedom and public protection.
“I have said earlier in this debate that the wider question is something that is worthy of serious consideration, which is what I will give to it, but I would want to start that process by discussing with the Sikh community themselves, to knife crime campaigners, and also the police about this matter.
“That, I think, is the right way to proceed, rather than launching a formal review, because actually, as the judge found in this case, this was not an act of religious observance.
“The minute that knife was unsheathed to be used, it became a murder weapon, and the murderer has now faced the full force of the law.”
We stand in solidarity with victim's family, say Sikh MPs
15:51 , Athena Stavrou
Sikh MPs have issued a statement after the murder of Henry Nowak, who was stabbed with a Sikh ceremonial knife.
A group of 11 MPs said they stood in solidarity with Mr Nowak’s family following the “senseless and tragic” killing.
“This case was about the murder of Henry Nowak by Vickrum Digwa. It was not about religion or racism,” the statement says.
“At a time when emotions and understandably raw, we urge people not to allow the actions of one murderer to divide communities or fuel hostility towards innocent people.”
Henry Nowak’s murder was a horrific crime. Our thoughts remain with his family and loved ones.
— Preet Kaur Gill MP (@PreetKGillMP) June 2, 2026
Today, Sikh MPs have issued a statement standing in solidarity with Henry’s family, supporting justice and accountability, and rejecting attempts to divide communities.
Statement 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/80tKNhEm4J
Vickrum Digwa, father and brother in court on weapons charges
15:16 , Holly Evans
Vickrum Digwa, his brother and father have appeared in court charged with multiple weapons offences.
The 23-year-old, who was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 21 years for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court to face six counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a private place.
The alleged weapons are a flick knife, an extendable baton, knuckledusters, a machete, swords and kusaris.
Vickrum appeared in the dock, accompanied by two security officers, wearing a dark suit, blue tie and blue turban.
His father, Moga Singh, 52, and his brother, Gurpreet Digwa, 27; both of St Denys Road, Southampton, Hampshire, who are on bail, appeared alongside him to face the same charges while Gurpreet faced four additional charges.
They are possessing an offensive weapon, an asp, in a public place, possessing a prohibited weapon, an air rifle, possessing an axe in a public place and possessing a knife, a kirpan, in a public place.
All of the offences are dated December 4 2025 – the day after the incident in which Mr Nowak was killed.
Watch: Police officer received death threats over Henry Nowak murder, Mahmood says
15:14 , Holly Evans
Watch: Police officer received death threats over Henry Nowak murder, Mahmood says
15:07 , Holly Evans
Mahmood accuses Jenrick of trying to 'pit white Britons against non-white Britons'
15:03 , Holly Evans
Shabana Mahmood has accused Robert Jenrick of trying to pit white Britons against non-white Britons.
Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman told the Commons he believed the police officer who handcuffed Henry Nowak “should be in court being prosecuted for a total dereliction of duty”.
He said: “Why do officers behave in this way? Is it because they have been taught repeatedly to elevate perceptions of ethnic minority communities over the safety of white British people?”
He added: “It is a sickness rooted in the anti-racism agenda. Will the Home Secretary root it out, will she return to equality before the law for all, and will she say that when it comes to public safety, white lives matter just as much as anyone else’s?”
The home secretary responded: “I don’t think this is a moment to pit white Britons against non-white Britons. This is a moment to reflect on a horrific tragedy.
“He knows full well that the IOPC is investigating the conduct of those police officers. It would be wholly inappropriate for a member of this House to seek to pre-empt an independent investigation into the potential misconduct of police officers.”
Henry Nowak's MP praises family for their 'dignity'
14:53 , Holly Evans
The outpouring of support at Henry Nowak’s funeral showed he had “an impact well beyond his young years”, his local MP has said.
Jen Craft, the Labour MP for Thurrock, said: “I would like to pay tribute to my constituent, Henry Nowak, a bright young man at the start of a life that held so much promise.
“The turnout at his funeral and the outpouring of community support showed that he had an impact well beyond his young years.”
She also paid tribute to Henry’s family, praising them for their courage, bravery and “their dignity in dealing with one of the most tragic and devastating things that any of us could ever imagine going through”.
Southampton MP says murder of Henry Nowak has 'horrified our city'
14:42 , Holly Evans
The murder of Henry Nowak “has horrified our city”, a Southampton MP has said.
Darren Paffey, the MP for Southampton Itchen, said: “Henry was a popular and much loved student at the University of Southampton, and his murder has horrified our city.
“I want to commend everyone at the university for their response and support for the university community following this tragedy.
“I’ve watched the bodycam footage, and it is both heartbreaking and infuriating.”
Sadiq Khan condemns Farage's 'knock-out politics'
14:37 , Holly Evans
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has criticised “knock-out politics”, after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage demanded “pure cold rage” over the police treatment of murder victim Henry Nowak.
Asked about Mr Farage’s comments on Tuesday, Sir Sadiq told the Press Association: “I think today’s about remembering Henry Nowak and thinking about his family rather than being involved in knock-out politics.
“I can’t imagine what Henry Nowak’s family is going through. It’s just tragic. I’m heartbroken for them.”
IOPC to reveal findings of investigation in 'next three months'
14:21 , Holly Evans
The Independent Office for Police Conduct will report the findings of its investigation into Hampshire Constabulary’s handling of the murder of student Henry Nowak “within the next three months”, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons.
Sikh Labour MP’s fury out Reform and Restore over politicisation of the case
14:18 , David Maddox
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, a Sikh Labour MP, made a furious intervention during the statement on Henry Nowak’s case.
He said that the Sikh community was “ashamed” of the murderer but accused rightwing parties Reform UK and Restore Britain of “throwing an entire community under the bus” in terms of its attacks on the Sikh community.
Mr Dhesi reminded that Sikhs fought side by side with British forces in the First and Second World Wars.
He accused Reform and Restore of “politicising” the tragedy as he was heckled on the other side of the chamber.
Mahmood: 'Important that nobody overcorrects'
14:18 , Dan Haygarth
It is “important that nobody overcorrects” in response to the murder of Henry Nowak, Shabana Mahmood said.
She was responding to shadow home secretary Chris Philp, who said police policy documents were encouraging officers to “treat different ethnic groups differently” and called for it to be withdrawn.
“The dangerous ideology of so-called anti-racism, allowing people to be treated differently based on race, must end,” he said.
Ms Mahmood responded: “All are equal before the law, and every public service needs to bear that in mind.
“He referred to the police anti-racism commitment, he will obviously remember, I am sure, that the race action plan for the police began life under the previous Conservative government.
“It is important that the police retain the confidence of all of the communities that they police, and that there has, I think, he would acknowledge, been a history and a context here relating to racism and the police.
“Whatever changes are made, it is important that nobody overcorrects or course corrects such that all of us as citizens are no longer equal before the law.”
Murder of Henry Nowak should be used to 'pursue positive change', Mahmood says
14:14 , Dan Haygarth
Shabana Mahmood called for the murder of Henry Nowak to be used to “pursue positive change” as she urged MPs to “be responsible in this moment to allow justice to run its full course”.
She told the Commons: “The loss felt by Henry Nowak’s family and friends will last forever. A wonderful young man will never enjoy the promise of the life that stretched out before him.
“The evil acts of his murderer and accomplice will never be undone, but we can choose to use this moment to pursue positive change.
“We are still limited in what we can say, there is a sentence to be handed down, and further charges may follow, and there is an IOPC investigation ongoing. I call on everyone here to be responsible in this moment to allow justice to run its full course.
“But while we must be limited in what we can say, we must not be limited in how we act.
“I will end with the words of the Nowak family once more. Last night, they wrote that no other family should experience the heartbreak and horror of losing a child to knife crime. Let that be the challenge to us all, across this House, across Government, and across society. It is the very least we can do to honour the memory of Henry Nowak.”
Farage accused of 'using tragedy to divide British communities'
14:13 , Millie Cooke
Nigel Farage has been accused of "using tragedy to divide British communities" after he said people should respond with “pure cold rage” to the treatment of Henry Nowak, arguing it was evidence of “two-tier" policing.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson dubbed Mr Farage's intervention "divisive, dangerous, and fundamentally un-British".
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Wilkinson said: "It is incumbent upon all of us in this House when we discuss this issue to bear in mind the words of Henry's father, Mark, who said we do not want Henry's murder to be used to create further hatred, division, or tension.
"Since the sentencing and the release of the harrowing video showing the sickening incident, the vast majority of politicians have responded to this matter with due sensitivity, and that reflects well on this house. It is therefore all the more disturbing that we have seen the honourable member for Clacton [Nigel Farage] once again using tragedy to divide British communities.
"We all know why he does this. He has made a career out of this and has become rich as a result. But we are also well aware, as he is, that his actions are divisive, dangerous, and fundamentally un-British.
"The rights of British people to observe their faith are hard won. They cannot be contingent upon the colour of any individual's skin. Those rights, we know, come with a responsibility, a responsibility that Digwa has betrayed, and he must now serve his well-deserved punishment."
'Dangerous undercurrent' has resulted in death threats towards police, Mahmood says
14:08 , Dan Haygarth
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said a “dangerous undercurrent” in the wake of the killing of Henry Nowak has seen death threats towards police, as she said officers have a “sacred duty” to carry out.
Ms Mahmood said one officer had already been misidentified and had to move out of his home to protect himself and his family after receiving death threats.
She told MPs: “The police in this country have a sacred duty; to police without fear or favour. Everyone in this country is equal before the law. It is the promise upon which our whole justice system rests, and the equality of every citizen is the foundation on which the openness, tolerance and generosity of this country rests.”
She continued: “Threats against police officers are utterly unacceptable. There can be no justification for intimidation, abuse or attempts to take the law into one’s own hands. A police officer unrelated to this case has been misidentified online and subjected to death threats. He has been forced to relocate to protect himself and his family.
“Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse. We must all, together, condemn it.”
Chris Philp demands police anti-racism commitment must be withdrawn
14:07 , David Maddox
Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp has demanded that the police anti-racism commitment is withdrawn.
He said in response to the home secretary that the treatment of Henry Nowak where “police were more concerned about racism” than the teenager’s murder was not an isolated incident.
Mr Philp claims that the anti-racism commitment means that a two tier justice system is created with different ethnic groups are treated differently under the law.
PM pays tribute to Henry Nowak in Cabinet
13:57 , Athena Stavrou
Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Henry Nowak, the 18-year-old student who died whilst being arrested, in Cabinet.
His spokesman said in a readout of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting: “The prime minister then paid tribute to Henry Nowak, describing him as kind, thoughtful, and much loved, whose life had been ripped away in the most appalling of circumstances.
“He said Henry’s killer had shamelessly lied about him and then accused him of racism.
“The prime minister said that in his last harrowing moments, Henry was then handcuffed by the police as he lay dying on the floor.”
He added that it was right that the IOPC was investigating the police response, which he said “needed to be carried out as quickly as possible”.
However, the spokesperson denied claims there was “two-tier policing” in Britain, but that the “police must enforce the law without fear or favour”.
Shabana Mahmood warns against those who use Nowak murder for political gain
13:56 , David Maddox
In an apparent dig at Nigel Farage, the home secretary Shabana Mahmood has warned against any attempt to politicise the tragedy.
Quoting Henry Nowak’s family, she appealed for people not to use the murder for division and turning people against one another.
This morning Mr Farage gave an “emergency speech” online where he declared “white lives matter.”
Kemi Badenoch earlier accused Nigel Farage of deepening divisions.
Responding to comments made by Mr Farage, who said in a video statement that people should respond with “pure cold rage” to the treatment of Mr Nowak, Ms Badenoch said the Reform UK leader was “taking sides”.
The Conservative leader told Good Morning Britain on Tuesday: "It is making me angry because that's not how we solve this. That's not how we solve this. We can't solve it by whipping people up. We can't solve it by making them angry.”
'His murder at the hands of Vickrum Digwa was a horrifying act'
13:49 , Dan Haygarth
Shabana Mahmood told the Commons: “Henry, aged just 18, was a first year university student with his life ahead of him. He was kind, hardworking, loved by his family and friends.
“His murder at the hands of Vickrum Digwa was a horrifying act. Digwa murdered Henry, and then lied about him as he lay dying, falsely accusing him of racism.
“It was an evil act.
“I know the thoughts of the whole House will now be with Henry’s family and his friends, just as mine are.
“What they have been through is heart-breaking for most of us, unimaginable. I know nothing can take their pain and loss away, but yesterday we saw some measure of justice. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will serve a minimum term of 21 years.”
Shabana Mahmood condemns Henry Nowak’s murder as ‘an evil act’
13:47 , David Maddox
The Home secretary is giving a statement on the murder of Henry Nowak, she said her thoughts are with the Nowak family and said “they deserve answers about what happened on that awful night and the police officers who came to the scene.”
He condemned the murder as “an evil act” but warned that members of the murderer Vickrum Digwa’s family are now facing charges.
But she confirmed that the police involved in the case who arrived at the scene will now be investigated for failing to deal properly with Nowak as he laid dying.
She said that the body cam footage from the police was “disturbing” but appealed for calm.
Shabana Mahmood is making a statement on the murder of Henry Nowak
13:45 , Dan Haygarth
Group condemns calls for ‘vigilante justice’ against police over Nowak case
13:31 , Dan Haygarth
A policing group has condemned calls for “vigilante justice” against officers over the Henry Nowak case, with some wrongly identified on social media as having been involved.
Hampshire Police Federation said some officers had personal details such as their home addresses published, and called on politicians and social media figures to be more responsible in what they say.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for “pure cold rage” over the disturbing case, which has sparked widespread criticism including on social media.
Henry Nowak, 18, was handcuffed by Hampshire police officers as he lay dying from stab wounds in Southampton on 4 December, after his killer lied that he was drunk and had launched a racist attack.
Harrowing body worn footage has been released by the force in which Henry can be heard telling them that he has been stabbed, but he is ignored.
Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the handling of the case, but has said that officers are being treated as witnesses at this stage.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Police Federation said: “The murder of Henry Nowak was a tragedy, our thoughts are with his family and friends.
“The officers’ actions that night are subject to rigorous independent scrutiny and we must let that process run its course.
“The Police Federation condemns in the strongest possible terms the calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers we have seen in recent days.
“That has included police officers being wrongly identified as being involved in the incident and personal details such as home address being widely published.
“We call on politicians of all parties and media commentators to be more responsible in their comments – and allow due process for the officers involved to ensue.
“As a staff association we are supporting all Hampshire Police officers and we urge all our members to take appropriate action online and offline to stay safe.”
Kemi Badenoch fights back tears over Henry Nowak death
12:54 , Dan Haygarth
Full story: Henry Nowak’s father says the way police treated his dying son was ‘inhumane and degrading’
12:48 , Dan Haygarth
Henry Nowak’s father said the way police treated his dying son was “inhumane and degrading” as he called for the government to treat knife crime as a national emergency.
Mark Nowak spoke outside Southampton Crown Court after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of the teenager.
Digwa stabbed Mr Nowak on a Southampton street, then claimed to police that the student had racially abused him, leading police to handcuff the dying 18-year-old.
He collapsed shortly afterward and could not be revived.
Mark Nowak said “justice in the eyes of the law has been served but justice alone is not enough”.
“We are calling on the government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is,” he said.
The family would “carry this grief every single day for the rest of our lives”, he said.
Read more below.
Henry Nowak’s father says the way police treated his dying son was ‘inhumane’
Hampshire Police Federation 'condemns in the strongest possible terms the calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers'
12:14 , Dan Haygarth
A spokesperson for Hampshire Police Federation said: "The murder of Henry Nowak was a tragedy, our thoughts are with his family and friends.
"The officers' actions that night are subject to rigorous independent scrutiny and we must let that process run its course.
"The Police Federation condemns in the strongest possible terms the calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers we have seen in recent days.
"That has included police officers being wrongly identified as being involved in the incident and personal details such as home address being widely published.
"We call on politicians of all parties and media commentators to be more responsible in their comments - and allow due process for the officers involved to ensue.
"As a staff association we are supporting all Hampshire Police officers and we urge all our members to take appropriate action online and offline to stay safe."
Badenoch: 'We can't solve it by whipping people up'
11:57 , Dan Haygarth
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said making people “angry" is the wrong response to the murder of Henry Nowak.
Responding to comments made by Nigel Farage, who said in a video statement the treatment of Mr Nowak was evidence of a “two-tier culture”, the leader of the opposition said Mr Farage was “taking sides”.
Ms Badenoch told Good Morning Britain on Tuesday: "It is making me angry because that's not how we solve this. That's not how we solve this. We can't solve it by whipping people up. We can't solve it by making them angry.”
"Nigel Farage is taking sides. I'm not taking sides. I'm saying enough of this. We need to stop this racialising of our society. We are multiracial yes, but we need to stop using race as a way of defining laws ... Let's treat everyone equally."
Police officer was ‘doing his best in a very difficult situation’, judge said
11:40 , Amy-Clare Martin
Judge Mousley KC, the recorder of Southampton, said the officers had to make “quick decisions” in pressurised circumstances.
“It is the experience of the criminal courts that sometimes, someone arrested and handcuffed will feign injury in the hope they may be released,” he said in his sentencing remarks delivered at Southampton Crown Court on Monday.
“These police officers were faced with having to make quick decisions in pressurised circumstances about the best way to act.
“The genuine shock to the particular police officer, when he realised that he had been giving CPR to Henry when he had a serious chest wound tends to show that he was doing his best in a very difficult situation.”
Harrowing CCTV police bodycam footage has captured the moment the officers dismissed student Henry Nowak’s cries for help and handcuffed him after he had been stabbed with a Sikh ceremonial knife.
In the chilling footage, Nowak can be heard telling officers: “I’ve been stabbed”. One replies: “I don’t think you have mate.”
Ed Davey: 'Independent investigation must uncover how they got it so badly wrong'
11:15 , Dan Haygarth
— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) June 2, 2026
Full story: Henry Nowak’s father says the way police treated his dying son was ‘inhumane and degrading’
11:00 , Dan Haygarth
Henry Nowak’s father has said the way police treated his dying son was “inhumane and degrading” as he called for the government to treat knife crime as a national emergency.
Mark Nowak spoke outside Southampton Crown Court after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of the teenager.
Digwa stabbed Mr Nowak on a Southampton street, then claimed to police that the student had racially abused him, leading police to handcuff the dying 18-year-old.
He collapsed shortly afterward and could not be revived.
Mark Nowak said “justice in the eyes of the law has been served but justice alone is not enough”.
“We are calling on the government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is,” he said.
Read more below.
Henry Nowak’s father says the way police treated his dying son was ‘inhumane’
Attorney general's office considering Digwa's sentence
10:36 , Dan Haygarth
The attorney general’s office is considering the jail sentence given to Vickrum Digwa after receiving “multiple requests” to review it under the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme.
The 23-year-old was sentenced to life to serve a minimum of 21 years at Southampton Crown Court for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
A spokesman for his office said: “We have received multiple requests for Vickrum Digwa’s sentence to be considered under the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme.
“The law officers have 28 days from sentencing to carefully consider the case and make a decision.”
The family of Vickrum Digwa have apologised to Henry Nowak's family
10:34 , Dan Haygarth
The family of Vickrum Digwa have apologised to the family of murder victim Henry Nowak and for bringing the Sikh Community into “disrepute”.
In a statement issued through Sikh PA, the family said: “The loss of a young life is a grief that no family should ever have to carry. We are deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the Nowak family has had to endure.
“We love Vickrum. We will continue to love him. That love does not stand in opposition to the sorrow we feel for the Nowak family. Both are real, and both will remain with us for the rest of our lives.
“We would give anything to turn back time so the path of both Henry and Vickrum never crossed that night. We cannot change what has happened, we just hope that no further pain is caused in its name.
“We apologise to the Sikh community for our son’s actions which have unfairly brought the community into disrepute.
“We ask that this tragedy is not used by anyone to inflame division or hostility towards any community.
“We now ask for privacy as we come to terms with what lies ahead.”
Downing Street urged to review rules on religious knives afrer Henry Nowak murder
10:31 , Dan Haygarth
Hampshire’s police and crime commissioner Donna Jones is calling a review of religious exemptions on the carrying of knives following the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa.
Digwa, 23, was on Monday jailed for life to serve a minimum of 21 years for stabbing Mr Nowak with a ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade, which he carried as part of his religion.
In a statement Ms Jones said she will write to Keir Starmer to request a review of the law.
She said: “Central to this incident is the fact that Vickrum Digwa was able to carry a knife in public because there is an exemption for those who observe the Sikh faith to carry ceremonial daggers.
“As commissioner, I intend to write to the prime minister to request a national review of the laws concerning the carrying of bladed articles under religious exemptions.
“Nothing can bring Henry back. There is no doubt Henry’s last moments were terrifying.
“My thoughts my remain with his family and I will do everything I can to ensure this can never happen again in this country.”
Judge said police officers were given a ‘convincing but wholly false’ account
10:04 , Amy-Clare Martin
In his sentencing remarks as he jailed Vickrum Digwa for life with a minimum of 21 years, judge William Mousley KC said the officers “honestly believed” there were reasonable grounds to suspect Henry Nowak had committed an offence.
“The police were given a convincing but wholly false narrative of the incident,” the judge said. “It was dark and Henry was wearing a dark top. The entry damage caused by the knife through it, would not have been obvious.
“Whilst there was visible blood on Henry, it would not have clearly been seen coming from that wound and the clearly visible facial wound was not life threatening.
“Henry was complaining that he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe but that would not have necessarily told the officers how serious the situation had become.”
Henry Nowak’s father has said the way police treated his dying son was “inhumane and degrading” as he called for a “full, fearless and transparent” investigation into the officers’ conduct.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, is investigating the incident.
Cabinet minister hit out at Ed Miliband’s net zero policy, Mandelson files reveal
09:46 , Kate Devlin
More details of goings on at the top of government are still emerging from the Mandelson files.
They appear to show Pat McFadden made clear he agreed with his former boss Tony Blair over his cabinet colleague Ed Miliband when it came to net zero.
Last April Sir Tony heavily criticised the energy secretary’s policies, warning voters knew their sacrifices would have virtually no impact on climate change.
“Tb [sic] content bang on,” Mr McFadden wrote to Mandelson in a message in May 2025.
Conduct of police officers at the scene of Henry Nowak’s stabbing was “shocking”, minister says
09:00 , Dan Haygarth
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has said the conduct of police officers at the scene of Henry Nowak’s stabbing was “shocking”.
He told the BBC’s Today programme on Tuesday morning: “The footage, the body-cam footage, is every parent’s nightmare.
“It is harrowing, and it is absolutely shocking, and the conduct of the police, when you look at it at the scene, is shocking.
“I’m sure your thoughts, my thoughts, the thoughts of all your listeners this morning are with Henry’s family and Henry’s friends, not only being the victim of a heinous crime, but also the lies of the perpetrator, the lies at the scene, the false accusations of racism,” he added.
“But remember, as well, this perpetrator lied and lied and lied, and put Henry’s family through a whole contested trial.”
Asked to comment on Nigel Farage’s statement on X, in which the Reform UK leader claimed the police officers who handcuffed Henry Nowak were “more concerned by an accusation of racism than an act of murder”, Mr Thomas-Symonds replied: “Look, I accept, in this, what has happened here, the heinous events we’ve seen, the chilling and harrowing footage – there are serious questions to answer.
“Nobody is disputing that.
“It must be for the Independent Office for Police Conduct, without fear or favour, to ask all the questions that are necessary to get to the truth of what happened here.”
Farage says he has asked Attorney General to review sentence
08:54 , Dan Haygarth
Nigel Farage said he had asked the Attorney General to review the life sentence with a minimum of 21 years given to killer Vickrum Digwa for being unduly lenient.
The Reform UK leader said in an address on Tuesday morning: “This is wrong. All the values and standards of living in a free country where everybody is judged equally before the law have been trashed and thrown away.”
Farage compares death of Henry Nowak to George Floyd
08:25 , Athena Stavrou
Nigel Farage has just delivered an address in which he criticised the police response to the murder of Henry Nowak.
Nowak, 18, was handcuffed by police while he lay dying after the man who stabbed him told police he had racially abused him.
Mr Farage accused the police of treating an accusation of a racial slurs more seriously than an act of murder.
Referring to the body cam footage, Mr Farage said: “What does he say? I can't breathe. Familiar words.”
The same words were said by George Floyd, whose death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement after he was killed by police in the US.
“Remember the reaction to that, and the way the police behaved within a few days. Keir Starmer was taking the knee. Black Lives Matter exploded all over the country,” Mr Farage said.
Accusing politicians of being “silent” on Mr Nowak’s death, Mr Farage added: “Proof if ever there was any, that we're living in a two-tier culture in this country where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities.”
‘Embarrassing’ Pat McFadden messages proof of government’s transparency, minister says
07:53 , Joe Middleton
A government minister has said the “embarrassing” tranche of messages between Peter Mandelson and Pat McFadden is proof the government is being “open and transparent”.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds sought to defend the work and pensions minister after a series of his messages with the former Labour peer revealed harsh criticism of the prime minister and Labour MPs.
Mr Thomas-Symonds insisted Mr McFadden has “always been very consistent” on welfare and added the messages are “an indication of the government's determination to comply with this humble address”.
"You have got what are - frankly, not just here, but more generally - messages that are embarrassing,” he told BBC Breakfast.
“They're things that people said perhaps out of frustration, however it may be privately, that they never expected to be made public.
"But the reason they are public is because the government is being open and transparent.”
Minister describes phone being stolen ahead of Mandelson file release
07:48 , Joe Middleton
A government minister has said he had his phone stolen last year, meaning some WhatsApp’s between himself and Peter Mandelson were lost.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said his personal phone was stolen on October 15 2025, as he was walking home from a dinner on Marsham Street.
He said three people on mopeds swiped his phone, which he reported to the Metropolitan Police.
He told Sky News that he told the humble address team that messages would have included Mandelson and himself congratulating each other on respective appointments, and the former Labour peer campaigning to be Chancellor of Oxford University.
Everything we know about the Mandelson files so far
07:47 , Joe Middleton
The second tranche of the Mandelson files dropped on Monday afternoon.
Our journalists have combed through hundreds of pages of documents, emails, and WhatsApp messages. Here is what we know:
The documents show that Lord Peter Mandelson was told it was only necessary to provide information on his current friendships with foreign nationals during his vetting process.
He also told David Lammy a month before his appointment that the government would “never regret” making him ambassador.
The ex-Labour peer “declined to comply” with a request to hand over his WhatsApp messages and other information on his personal phone to the government.
However, messages he exchanged with ministers reveal several criticisms he had of the government and its leader Keir Starmer.
Some of those include Mandelson warning Starmer's Downing Street operation was “beleaguered and bereft”, and, in separate messages, speculating that the prime minister may not survive a welfare rebellion.
The then-ambassador to the US also said Pat McFadden was “not a power house”, admitted he was “very worried” about the Chagos deal, and accused Wes Streeting of having “early mid life crisis”.
Mandelson also told ministers to behave in a more “Trumpian risk taking and dare devil way” in the aftermath of Labour’s loss to Reform in the Runcorn by-election.
Cabinet ministers have also been dragged into the spotlight, with messaging revealing McFadden told Mandelson that Labour MPs only ask “who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others”.
Mandelson discussed a story written by The Independent's Political Editor David Maddox with the then comms chief Matthew Doyle.
The pair discussed Maddox's reporting on WhatsApp after he published a story saying that Donald Trump is threatening to reject Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador unless the British government accepts serious restrictions on his activities.
McFadden was 'having a b**** privately', says senior Labour MP
07:47 , Joe Middleton
Pat McFadden should not be sacked for his comments about Keir Starmer, Dame Emily Thornberry has said.
The senior Labour MP said the work and pensions minister was “having a b**** privately”.
She told Sky News: “Whether it’s OK or not, it is the sort of thing human beings do. They complain about their bosses, they complain about decisions being made, they complain about when they don’t feel they’re being listened to.”
Labour MP John McDonnell told Times Radio that Mr McFadden should consider resigning from the cabinet because he has been “disloyal” to the prime minister.
Several damaging messages between Mr McFadden and Lord Mandelson were released, some of which had disparaged the prime minister.
Key takeaways from explosive Mandelson WhatsApp messages
05:00 , Harriette Boucher
Full story: Humiliation for Starmer as Mandelson files reveal government by WhatsApp
04:00 , Harriette Boucher
The prime minister is facing fresh humiliation after the latest tranche of Mandelson files was published on Monday, revealing both in-fighting among ministers and profound criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s administration.
The publication of more than 1,000 pages of messages relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US reveals his damning opinion of the government, with the disgraced peer saying that the prime minister “lacks verve” and warning that his Downing Street operation is “beleaguered and bereft”.
The release lays bare the extent to which government is conducted by WhatsApp and includes thousands of previously private messages exchanged between figures at the heart of government, revealing Lord Mandelson repeatedly offered unsolicited advice to ministers, derided colleagues and criticised the actions of the government.
Lord Mandelson, however, apparently “declined to comply” with a request to hand over his personal phone and allow the government to publish WhatsApp messages and other information related to his appointment, the documents showed.
Meanwhile, in a statement to the Commons, chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones confirmed that questions put to Lord Mandelson during the vetting process were being withheld at the request of the Metropolitan Police, among a huge amount of redactions.
Humiliation for Starmer as Mandelson files reveal government by WhatsApp
Full timeline of Mandelson ambassador appointment scandal as latest files released
03:00 , Harriette Boucher
Full timeline of Mandelson ambassador appointment scandal as latest files released
MPs denied chance to scrutinise Mandelson files, shadow cabinet minister says
02:00 , Harriette Boucher
The shadow cabinet minister has accused the government of a lack of transparency over documents not included in the release of the Mandelson files.
Alex Burghart told the Commons the government was denying MPs the ability to scrutinise the documents, saying “very few” were able to see the files before the debate.
He added: “Although we have a huge number of documents, it is clear that very many are missing.
“Some have been withheld, some have been lost, and it’s clear that some have probably been destroyed.
“Because of the approach that the government is taking, however, it is impossible for members to know which documents fall into which category.
“We know there is no good legal basis for the government to disclose to this House which documents are being withheld. The government should tell us.
“Again, this is obfuscation; this is an unnecessary attempt to defer scrutiny or deny it.”
Now we know exactly how little Mandelson thought of Starmer – ‘rubbish in, rubbish out’
01:00 , Harriette Boucher
Unelected and unaccountable, the former US ambassador and ‘party stirrer’ nonetheless took it upon himself to make all party business his own, waspishly whittling away at Starmer’s authority – which makes the PM’s appointment of him all the more bone-headed, says Sean O’Grady:
Now we know exactly how little Mandelson thought of Starmer
No 'cosy' messages between Mandelson and Starmer because they 'didn't get on'
Tuesday 2 June 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
There were no “cosy” messages between Peter Mandelson and Keir Starmer because they “didn’t get on”, Emily Thornberry has suggested.
It comes amid skepticism over a lack of messages between the two in the documents released on Monday.
The Labour MP told Sky New that Starmer’s absence showed the extent of influence that Morgan McSweeney had.
“He wants to give his mentor the last big job, and he just went for it and pushed everybody else out the way, all objections out the way”.
Important questions about Mandelson still unanswered, senior Labour MP says
Monday 1 June 2026 23:05 , Harriette Boucher
Dame Emily Thornberry said key questions were yet to be answered following the latest release of the Mandelson files.
The senior Labour MP said she it is still unclear how the disgraced former ambassador got his job and was afraid the saga was “going to run and run”.
She told The Cathy Newman Show on Sky News: "I want to know how he got the job.
“I haven't had those, and they're the important things. What did the vetting mean? In order to get around the vetting, what did people agree to do? Or did they not? Or did they just decide to look the other way?”
She added: “I think we need to wait for the third lot of papers that will come from the police.
“Once the police have finished their investigation, at that stage, I will be saying 'have you answered my question yet? Why did he get the job.”
The 14-word exchange in the Mandelson files that could destroy Labour for a decade
Monday 1 June 2026 21:55 , Harriette Boucher
The former Labour peer’s 4am messages contain damning disclosures that could haunt Labour for years to come, argues Simon Walters
The 14-word exchange in the Mandelson files that could destroy Labour for a decade
Cabinet minister's messages with Mandelson missing after phone theft
Monday 1 June 2026 20:52 , Harriette Boucher
Another senior Labour member was unable to hand over his messages with Lord Peter Mandelson because his personal phone was stolen.
Cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symonds’ WhatsApp exchanges with Lord Mandelson from 2024 were kept on the personal phone and were lost when it was stolen.
His phone was nicked on 15 October last year, and he reported it to the Cabinet Office security team and police the same day, it is understood.
The minister explained the messages he could recall and did not exchange any messages with Lord Mandelson on his work phone.
Mr Thomas-Symonds, who is also the EU relations minister, met Lord Mandelson in January 2025 for a meeting.
The details of the meeting were released in the form of official minutes, which say they discussed next steps for the planned EU reset.
It comes after Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, was unable to share his messages after his phone was also stolen.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson: “We were called Wednesday, 15 October at around 23:25hrs, with a man reporting his phone had been stolen by three people on bikes. The incident took place around half an hour earlier on Marsham Street, Westminster.
“Officers made initial enquiries, but the case was closed after no suspects could be identified.”
Labour MP says McFadden should consider resignation
Monday 1 June 2026 20:20 , Harriette Boucher
Pat McFadden should consider resigning from the cabinet because he has been “disloyal” to the prime minister, Labour MP John McDonnell has said.
Mr McDonnell, who was shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn, told Times Radio: “It looks as though Pat McFadden was Peter Mandelson’s person in cabinet. He was almost the representative of Peter Mandelson within government itself, feeding information to him, exchanging derogratoary remarks about Keir himself and Keir’s style of government.”
He said: “If I was Keir, I’d be asking Pat to consider his position,” as he questioned whether “Keir can have any confidence in him for the future.
“I would expect Pat himself to think himself about whether he should continue in his role because he’s clearly not been loyal, in fact quite disloyal, to the very person who’s appointed him.”
Mandelson and Streeting dined with top Murdoch execs days before election, files show
Monday 1 June 2026 19:57 , Harriette Boucher
Wes Streeting and Lord Peter Mandelson had dinner with members of the Murdoch empire in July 2024, just days before the election.
The latest tranche of documents released by the government on Monday show messages between the two, in which Lord Mandelson says: “Message from Rebekah [Brooks, CEO of News UK] that Lachlan [Murdoch] really enjoyed the dinner and that they all thought everyone in great form and it felt like a genuine team spirit.”
Lachlan Murdoch is the CEO of Fox Corporation and son of Rupert Murdoch.
Mr Streeting responds: "The highlight of the evening was you pulling out the Times [newspaper] app and ribbing Tony [Gallagher, editor of The Times]".
“These people have to be kept on their toes,” Lord Mandelson says.
The former health secretary then praised Lord Mandelson, saying “it was masterfully done.”
An ally of Wes Streeting told the BBC: "During the election campaign, at the request of Keir’s office, Wes met with the editors of the Guardian, the Sun and Times, to win their endorsements for Labour. He is proud of the part he played in booting the Tories out and getting a Labour government elected."
McFadden appears to address comments about benefits released in Mandelson files
Monday 1 June 2026 19:44 , Harriette Boucher
Pat McFadden has seemingly addressed his comments to Lord Peter Mandelson, in which he said Labour MPs only ask “who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others”
In a post on X, the work and pensions minister wrote: “As I often say in interviews and in the department, ‘we have to change the question the system asks from ‘what benefits are you entitled to’ to ‘how do we help you change your life’.”
Documents released today showed messages to Lord Mandelson accusing Labour MPs of focusing on “who we can tax”.
Criticising the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), McFadden said: “Every meeting I have is 'who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others'. They’re asking the wrong questions.”
How I ended up in the Mandelson files
Monday 1 June 2026 19:32 , Harriette Boucher
Political editor David Maddox discusses being named in exchanges involving Peter Mandelson and how The Independent’s stories have embarrassed the government:
How I ended up in the Mandelson files
Key takeaways from explosive Mandelson WhatsApp messages
Monday 1 June 2026 19:24 , Harriette Boucher
Everything we know about the Mandelson files so far
Monday 1 June 2026 19:10 , Harriette Boucher
The key takeaways in latest release of Mandelson files
Mandelson was 'operating in the shadows', says Starmer's ex-comms adviser
Monday 1 June 2026 18:45 , Harriette Boucher
Keir Starmer’s former communications adviser does not believe the latest tranche of Mandelson documents will make things worse for the prime minister.
James Lyons said the documents revealed the former Labour peer was ‘clearly operating in the shadows.
He told Sky News: “We've all seen how large the files are... it's going to take a long time to go through all of them.
“So far, I don't think we've seen anything of the higher end of expectations."
Mr Lyons said Pat McFadden, involved in some of the damaging messages released today, was one of the “safest pair of hands in government”.
He added: “I'm sure he will be far from delighted that this change has come to light,.
“Partly because Labour's opponents will be seizing on it as evidence that they want to tax... he's been trying to rebuild the Labour case for welfare and this just makes that much harder.”
