Review into Henry Nowak murder announced
Alex Chalk to lead independent inquiry into student's death in Southampton.
Incident → evidence → outcomeAn independent review into the murder of Henry Nowak, who was fatally stabbed in Southampton on December 3 2025, has been announced. Alex Chalk, former lord chancellor, will lead the inquiry. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated in the Commons that the review will investigate 'any missed opportunities to intervene'.
Henry Nowak, aged 18, died after being stabbed. His family has described their experience as 'the most unimaginable horror', which they state has been 'exacerbated by their experience of the criminal justice system', according to Mr Chalk. He added that the family also feels 'that something might have been done in the past to prevent it happening'.
Scope of the review
Mr Chalk outlined two main areas for the review. The first concerns the family's engagement with various parts of the criminal justice system, including the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, HM Prison and Probation Service, and the police. The second area will examine events in the five years preceding the murder to identify any instances where reports were made but potentially not acted upon.
The review will consider whether any reluctance to act may have stemmed from a 'misplaced sense of cultural sensitivity', particularly if a religious weapon was involved. Mr Chalk stated he approaches this with an 'open mind', and that the review will investigate reports made to the police, including those from a Sikh Gurdwara attended by the perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa. He confirmed he would be writing to Gurdwaras, police, and the health service as part of the consultation process.
Convictions
Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder of Henry Nowak on June 1 this year. Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, received a three-year prison sentence for assisting an offender, having removed the knife used in the stabbing.
The Nowak family are due to discuss their search for answers in an ITV News programme scheduled for November 5. In a preview, Henry's father, Mark Nowak, stated his determination 'to find out what happened'.
Questions this report answers
01What is the independent review into?
The independent review is into the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton on December 3 2025. It will examine missed opportunities to intervene in the events leading up to the stabbing and the Nowak family's experience with the criminal justice system.
02Who is leading the review?
The review is being led by Alex Chalk, the former lord chancellor. He stated his aim is to provide answers to the family and investigate potential failures in the system.
03What happened to Vickrum Digwa and his mother?
Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder of Henry Nowak. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was sentenced to three years imprisonment for assisting an offender.
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