Two police officers investigated for gross misconduct over Henry Novak murder
Two Hampshire police officers are under investigation for gross misconduct regarding their handling of the arrest and death of stabbed student Henry Novak.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two Hampshire police officers are under investigation for potential gross misconduct over their handling of the arrest and death of stabbed student Henry Novak. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has served gross misconduct notices on the officers, who were the first to arrive at the scene in Southampton on 3 December last year.
Bodycam footage released earlier this month showed Henry Novak lying face down on the ground, handcuffed, after being fatally stabbed. He told officers he could not breathe and that he had been stabbed, but one officer replied, "Don't think you have, mate." The IOPC is examining whether the officers failed to recognise that Henry needed urgent medical attention, failed to act immediately after he said he had been stabbed, and whether the decision to handcuff him rather than provide first aid was appropriate. One officer is also being investigated for a potential breach of standards relating to respect and courtesy.
The IOPC is also looking into whether the race or religion of Henry Novak or his killer, Vikram Digwar, influenced the officers' actions or decisions. Digwar was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment after falsely claiming Henry had launched a racist attack. The judge described Digwar's claims as "wicked lies."
In a statement, IOPC Director of Engagement Derek Campbell said there was "clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed by this incident." He added that serving gross misconduct notices does not necessarily mean disciplinary proceedings will follow. The watchdog has met with Henry's family and will share its findings with them before making final decisions.
Hampshire Constabulary confirmed the two officers are currently not at work. If they return during the investigation, they will not be in public-facing roles. The IOPC is also examining the actions of control room staff. The release of the bodycam footage sparked protests and unrest in Southampton. The investigation is expected to take several months.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|
| The IOPC investigation examines potential failures to recognise that Henry Novak needed urgent medical attention, failure to act immediately after he said he was stabbed, and the decision to handcuff him instead of providing first aid. | |||
| The IOPC is examining whether race or religion of those involved impacted the officers' actions or decision-making. | · | ||
| Two Hampshire police officers are under investigation by the IOPC for potential gross misconduct over the handling of Henry Novak's murder. | · | ||
| Henry Novak's family formally complained to Hampshire police, leading to the IOPC investigation, and have been kept informed. | · | · | |
| The IOPC stated the two officers were the first to arrive at the scene on 3 December last year. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News provided the most detailed coverage, with two separate segments featuring a correspondent who explained the specifics of the IOPC investigation, including the potential failures to recognise medical need, the handcuffing decision, and the race/religion angle. The tone was factual but highlighted the public outrage and the IOPC's transparency efforts. The channel also noted the officers' current non-public-facing status and the family's involvement.
- “There is clear evidence that public confidence in the force may have been seriously harmed by this incident and that is a factor we must consider when assessing the evidence.”
- “The fact that these notices has been served does not mean that officers have done anything wrong. It does not mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow.”
- “They're considering whether race or religion may have played a part in the decision-making of officers.”
ITV1's coverage was concise and focused on the core facts of the investigation, with a clear reminder of the background and the public reaction. The report emphasised the distressing nature of the bodycam footage and the lies told by the killer. The tone was straightforward and informative, without additional commentary on the IOPC's process.
- “This is the murder that sparked national outrage and protest and unrest in Southampton.”
- “He told police, I've been stabbed, I can't breathe. He was then handcuffed by police who believed the lies from Henry's killer, Vikram Digwar.”
- “The IOPC, the police watchdog are also looking into factors like the race or religion of those involved to see if they were a factor in influencing or prejudicing those officers.”
GB News covered the story as a brief headline segment within a broader news bulletin. The report was factual and concise, listing the key allegations without additional analysis or context. The channel moved quickly to other stories, indicating this was not a lead item. The tone was neutral and straightforward.
- “Two Hampshire police officers are under investigation for potential gross misconduct over the arrest and handcuffing of stabbed student Henry Novak.”
- “The watchdog says they may have failed to recognise Henry needed urgent medical help after he said he'd been stabbed and couldn't breathe.”
- “One officer is also being investigated over whether they appeared to dismiss Henry when he said he'd been stabbed.”
Broadcast Timeline
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