Police Anti-Racism Guidance Under Review Following Stabbing Death of Henry Nowak

Police Anti-Racism Guidance Under Review After Fatal Stabbing Conviction

A review of police anti-racism guidance has been announced following the conviction of Vickrum Digwa for the stabbing death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak. The case has prompted scrutiny of police actions at the scene and the language used in a national police race action plan document.

The Incident and Conviction

Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed five times. Vickrum Digwa, a British Sikh man, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. During the incident, Digwa had claimed that Nowak racially abused him and knocked off his turban.

Body-worn camera footage shows Nowak handcuffed at the scene, telling officers, "I’ve been stabbed" and "I can’t breathe." An officer responded, "Don’t think you have, mate."

"I’ve been stabbed" and "I can’t breathe." — Henry Nowak, to officers at the scene.

Police Response and Investigation

Four officers from Hampshire Police responded to the incident. One officer resigned in 2024 for reasons unrelated to this case; the other three remain on duty. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the actions of the officers at the scene.

Separately, eleven officers were injured in protests in Southampton on June 2.

Review of Anti-Racism Guidance

The Home Secretary and the Prime Minister's office have stated that the language in the anti-racism guidance is "clumsy" and "not right," and have backed a review of the document.

The guidance is part of the police race action plan, published in response to the 2022 action plan aimed at enhancing trust in policing, particularly among black communities, and addressing racial disparities in crime statistics such as stop and search.

The document states that a commitment to racial equity "does not mean treating everyone 'the same' or being 'colour blind' (racial equality)." Police Minister Sarah Jones said the guidance gives the "wrong impression." According to one source, the intention was for officers to consider the context and historical experiences of different groups.

Ministers and the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) have stated that the document was not sent to officers for action, does not form the basis of training, and is not formal policy.

"A commitment to racial equity does not mean treating everyone 'the same' or being 'colour blind'." — Excerpt from the contested guidance.

Context on Policing and Race

Police are required to take claims of racial motivation seriously. Former counter-terrorism head Neil Basu stated: "When a victim says something you take it seriously, but that is different to believing it." This policy originates from the 1999 Macpherson report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

• No official figures exist regarding anti-white bias in policing.
• Statistics show longstanding racial disparities against ethnic minorities, particularly black people, in the use of force and stop and search.
• An independent assessment of the police race action plan found no "meaningful impact."
• Neil Basu characterized claims of police overreaction in favor of minority groups as "laughable," citing independent reports (Scarman, Macpherson, Casey) since the 1980s that have found police failures on race issues.

The College of Policing teaches the National Decision Making Model, which acknowledges that officers may face complex, incomplete, or contradictory information. A frontline officer with 25 years of experience noted that an officer's initial mindset, formed by control room details, can lead to confirmation bias.

Neil Basu: "When a victim says something you take it seriously, but that is different to believing it." — Former counter-terrorism head.

This article is a neutral summary of events and statements from official sources.