Police officers investigated for misconduct after handcuffing stabbed teenager
Two police officers are under investigation for gross misconduct after they handcuffed Henry Novak, a teenager who had been fatally stabbed, instead of providing first aid.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two police officers are under investigation for gross misconduct after they handcuffed a stabbed teenager instead of providing first aid. The 18-year-old, Henry Novak, was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December last year. Body-worn camera footage shows him telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe. One officer replied, "Don't think you have, mate." The officers arrested and handcuffed him as he lay dying.
Vikram Digwar, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder. He had lied to police, claiming Henry had racially abused him. The case sparked protests and riots in Southampton, with accusations of two-tier policing.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now issued gross misconduct notices to the two officers. The investigation will focus on the failure to provide immediate medical aid, the decision to arrest, and whether race, religion, or community tensions influenced the officers' actions. The IOPC said there is clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed.
Henry's family have called for a full and transparent investigation. They said their son did not die with dignity and that his treatment was inhumane and degrading. The investigation is expected to take several weeks. A gross misconduct notice does not necessarily mean disciplinary proceedings will follow.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| The IOPC is investigating whether race or religion impacted the officers' actions. | |
| Two police officers are being investigated for gross misconduct for failing to provide first aid and handcuffing Henry Novak. | |
| Vikram Digwar was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years for murder. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel provided a detailed, neutral report focusing on the body-worn camera footage, the family's reaction, and the IOPC investigation. It highlighted the racial element and the impact on public confidence, with contributions from correspondents and a special correspondent. The tone was factual and restrained, emphasising the procedural aspects of the investigation.
- “Two police officers who were called to the Henry Novak murder scene will be investigated for gross misconduct after they failed to give him immediate first aid and instead handcuffed Henry as he lay dying.”
- “The police watchdog now will investigate whether race, religion or community tensions influence the decisions the police made.”
- “I think that public trust and confidence in policing has been dented by what's happened.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.