Henry Nowak: Police watchdog urges people not to speculate about teenager's murder

The UK's policing watchdog has urged people to stop speculating about the murder of Henry Nowak.

Footage of the teenager being handcuffed as he lay dying on the ground has sparked intense debate and prompted protesters to clash with officers in Southampton.

Now Derrick Campbell, director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has warned that discussion of the case could risk prejudicing the investigation.

Mr Campbell said he was "acutely aware" of the public interest in what happened, but urged people to stop speculating.

The statement in full says: "We are acutely aware of the public interest in this case.

"We would respectfully ask people to stop speculating on an ongoing live investigation.

"This investigation is going to fully establish the circumstances of the case, including whether there may be misconduct on the part of any of the officers involved.

"The ongoing commentary about the evidence and speculation risks prejudicing any potential processes and preventing Henry Nowak's family getting the answers they deserve."

Read more:
Who was Henry Nowak?

The officers who arrested Mr Nowak have been taken off frontline policing duties, the chief constable of Hampshire Police has told Sky News.

Alexis Boon was speaking to home editor Jason Farrell amid national outrage after police bodycam footage showed the student being handcuffed as he told police he had been stabbed.

His murderer, Vickrum Digwa, had told police Nowak had racially abused him, which the judge in the case described as "wicked lies".

PM and Farage clash over 'two-tier policing'

The Times and Telegraph reported that police officers in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary, which dealt with Mr Nowak's murder, had felt pressured by mandatory diversity training.

One in seven officers felt "controlled or pressured to feel certain ways" after receiving the training about racism and unconscious bias, the results of a survey seen by the newspapers revealed.

The case has sparked a fierce political debate, with Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage clashing over allegations of "two-tier policing" during a heated PMQs on Wednesday.

The Reform leader had called on the public to show "pure cold rage" in response to Mr Nowak's treatment, which saw the prime minister accuse him of "exploiting" the murder.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has compared the case to that of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence, whose 1993 murder led to an inquiry that found "institutional racism" in the Metropolitan Police and other forces.

Jack Straw, the former Labour home secretary who oversaw the establishment of that inquiry, told The Telegraph there had since been an "over-correction" by police.

(c) Sky News 2026: Henry Nowak: Police watchdog urges people not to speculate about teenager's murder