British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced in the House of Commons an independent review of the circumstances surrounding the killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton. It will be led by former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk.
The announcement was made on Monday, 26 October, during Home Office questions. According to a government statement on GOV.UK, the review will examine whether opportunities to prevent the killing were missed and how Nowak’s family was treated after the tragedy. The scope is set out in the published terms of reference.
Two stages of the review
The first stage will examine what was known about the perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa, in the five years before the attack. It will look at any failings by institutions. Chalk is to present the findings of this stage to the minister by March 2027.
The second stage will begin after the conclusion of the investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the British body that oversees police conduct. It will cover the actions of the IOPC itself and, if necessary, of the police.
„We must get to the truth about what happened before, during and after that terrible night.” — Shabana Mahmood in the House of Commons, 26 October
What is known about the case
As reported by the Irish outlet TheJournal.ie, Henry Nowak died after being stabbed in Southampton on 3 December 2025. According to this source, while he was dying, he was handcuffed after the attacker falsely accused him of using racist abuse. In body-camera footage, Nowak repeats that he had been stabbed, and the officer replies that he does not think so.
Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years; the sentence was handed down on 1 June this year. The IOPC investigation into the officers who intervened is still ongoing.
Family’s reaction
Nowak’s family welcomed the decision with the words „At last, some positive news” and described it as an important moment in the fight for justice.
What it means
This is not a new criminal investigation: the perpetrator has already been convicted. The review is meant to assess the actions of institutions and identify lessons for the future. The first findings will come in March 2027 at the earliest, while the full picture, including an assessment of the police, will only emerge after the IOPC completes its work, for which no deadline has been given. At the time of publication, we did not know the reaction of Polish authorities to the announcement.
