Chief constable admits force failed stabbed teenager
A chief constable has admitted his force failed an 18-year-old stabbing victim in his final moments, as an independent investigation examines officers’ actions at the scene and a separate review considers whether opportunities were missed to prevent his murder.
Alexis Boon, chief constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, apologised to Henry Nowak’s family after body-worn video showed officers handcuffing the teenager while he was bleeding from his injuries and repeatedly telling them he had been stabbed.
In interviews with ITV News, the family also said they had been given changing accounts of the police response, including initially being told that officers had administered first aid. Their concerns raise further questions about how the force explained its actions to relatives following the incident.
Henry was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa as he walked home in Southampton in December 2025. Digwa was later convicted of murder and jailed for life.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the actions of officers who attended the scene, including whether any should face disciplinary proceedings. A separate independent review, led by former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC, will examine whether opportunities were missed to prevent the murder and how the family were treated by public authorities afterwards.