- Published
The family of murdered student Henry Nowak have said police gave changing accounts of the events surrounding his death and did not initially disclose they had handcuffed him as he lay dying.
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he → publish → him
They said police initially portrayed him as the aggressor in the fatal altercation with killer Vickrum Digwa in Southampton on 3 December 2025.
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police → say → December
The 18-year-old's stepmother Katie Nowak said Hampshire Police had failed them "multiple times".
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Police → say → them
The remarks came in a second excerpt released by ITV from the forthcoming documentary Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice.
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remarks → come → Justice
Chief Constable Alexis Boon has apologised to the family and said that when Henry "needed us most, we failed him".
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we → apologise → him
Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was a first-year student at the University of Southampton when he was murdered as he walked home from a night out.
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he → murder → night
He suffered five stab wounds or cuts from a 21cm (8in) blade, which Digwa later claimed was from a kirpan that he was carrying as part of his Sikh faith.
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he → suffer → faith
In police body-worn camera footage that was shown in court, the teenager could be heard repeating, "I've been stabbed", to which an officer replies: "Don't think you have, mate."
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you → wear → which
The family told ITV News they first saw the footage on the first day of Digwa's trial at Southampton Crown Court.
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they → tell → Court
Henry's sister Olivia said: "That video only came out because there was a trial.
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video → say → ?
We didn't see it before the trial."
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We → see → trial
Katie Nowak added: "We've always felt that there was a slight hope that Vickrum may have pleaded guilty.
"
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Vickrum → add → ?
And if he'd have pleaded guilty or we hadn't have hired expert help, we've always had that fear that the truth may never have come out."
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truth → plead → fear
In another excerpt, she said: "I do feel that we have been failed multiple times.
"
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we → say → excerpt
I fear that we may have been manipulated in our darkest hours.
"
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we → fear → hours
I fear that some decisions were made to try and protect the police and their reputation rather than help us as a family."
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decisions → fear → family
The teenager's father Mark Nowak said police gave differing accounts of what happened on 3 December.
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what → say → December
"The story was evolving every time we had an interaction," he said.
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he → evolve → interaction
"That evolution of what actually happened that night really shocked us, and we felt we were being hoodwinked.
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we → happen → us
We felt we were being not told the truth."
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we → feel → truth
He also recalled being asked to approve a draft police press release that depicted his son as an aggressor.
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that → recall → aggressor
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Constable Alexis Boon told ITV in a statement: "Henry's murder was a devastating tragedy, and our thoughts remain with his family and all those who loved him.
"
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who → tell → him
I am incredibly sorry that in his final moments, when he needed us most, we failed him.
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we → need → him
"They have rightly raised serious concerns about the police response and their treatment throughout the investigation and since.
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They → raise → investigation
No family should ever find themselves in this position."
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family → find → position
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed its investigation into potential failures in the police response to Mr Nowak's stabbing is expected to be concluded early next year.
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investigation → confirm → stabbing
However, the family said they received a letter from the police watchdog in April, saying no officers would face a conduct or criminal investigation.
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officers → say → investigation
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced an independent inquiry into the murder, led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk, which will look at "any missed opportunities to intervene".
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which → announce → opportunities
Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice, a Tonight special, airs on Thursday 5 November at 21:00 GMT on ITV, ITVX and the ITV News YouTube channel.
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Fight → air → ITV
The Aporia
