In an ITV interview, Henry Nowak’s parents rejected the political response to his killing and pressed for answers about police conduct, as two officers face a misconduct investigation.
His mother, Lucy Ross, questioned whether officers treated Henry differently from Digwa and his family, a comparison the IOPC is investigating. She said she wanted to understand the officers’ treatment of her son. “I’m not interested in your political game,” she told ITV’s “Tonight” program. Whether bias affected the police response remains under investigation.
Digwa fatally stabbed Nowak in Southampton in 2025. After Digwa’s sentencing, police body-camera footage was released and protests followed, ITV reported. Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, said his son “was not a divisive person.” The family said he would have hated the riots.
ITV reported that officers handcuffed Nowak as he was dying. Digwa also falsely accused Nowak of racial abuse. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is examining the officers’ actions, including whether bias played a role.
In an April 10 letter to the family, the IOPC said no officer would then face a conduct or criminal investigation. Its independent inquiry into the incident was already underway, and the watchdog said it could review that decision. In July, it said two officers were being investigated for possible gross misconduct.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Oct. 26 appointed former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC to lead a separate review of agency records and the family’s treatment. It will examine information held about Digwa before the killing by public agencies, employers and relevant faith organizations. It will also assess how public bodies treated Nowak’s family afterward.
The IOPC expects to finish its inquiry in early 2027, ITV reported. The government review’s first phase is due by March 2027.
