Police watchdog probes handcuffing of murder victim

The constabulary watchdog is investigating aft a young execution unfortunate was arrested and handcuffed arsenic helium laic dying.

First-year assemblage pupil Henry Nowak, 18, had been stabbed aggregate times with a 21cm (8in) ceremonial weapon erstwhile officers successful Southampton arrived astatine the country successful December.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary apologised aft 23-year-old slayer Vickrum Digwa was recovered guilty of execution connected Thursday. The proceedings heard that Digwa lied to police, falsely claiming helium was the unfortunate and alleging helium had been subjected to racist abuse.

In a connection issued to the BBC, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed an probe into the constabulary force's actions was ongoing.

Henry, from Chafford Hundred successful Essex, was walking backmost to his pupil accommodation unsocial aft a nighttime retired with his shot teammates erstwhile helium encountered Digwa.

Digwa, who had utilized a leaf helium said helium carried due to the fact that of his Sikh faith, tried to assertion helium acted successful self-defence and that Henry was drunk, shouted racist abuse, deed him and knocked disconnected his turban.

But it was recovered Henry had intoxicant levels beneath the drink-drive bounds erstwhile helium died.

The prosecution said Digwa had invented a "wicked lie" to effort to prevention himself from jailhouse – and the assemblage agreed.

Henry was, successful fact, the unfortunate and helium had near a way of humor down him arsenic helium attempted to fly his knife-wielding attacker by escaping implicit a fence.

But erstwhile constabulary arrived, it was Henry – a University of Southampton concern pupil – who was handcuffed and arrested aft Digwa made his bogus accusations.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France told the BBC: "It is simply a calamity that officers did not instantly recognize what had happened to Henry.

"I americium atrocious that helium had been handcuffed and arrested arsenic helium mislaid consciousness.

"I don't privation to fell the facts. I privation radical to recognize the afloat facts."

France said helium expected the IOPC to analyse "the full scope of what happened" and his unit was committed to acting connected the watchdog's findings.

He added: "The officers who initially interacted with Henry are the aforesaid officers who started the CPR, who fought to prevention his beingness and I person nary uncertainty of the extended interaction connected the officers."

The IOPC said: "Our thoughts and sympathies are with Henry Nowak's household and everyone affected by his death.

"We are independently investigating the interaction Hampshire and Isle of Wight officers had with Mr Nowak anterior to his decease connected 4 December, including the usage of handcuffs by officers and the archetypal assistance provided.

"Our investigation, which began pursuing a mandatory referral from the force, remains ongoing and the officers progressive are presently being treated arsenic witnesses."

Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: "This is simply a genuinely horrific case.

"All our thoughts are with Henry's household and friends and what they are going through.

"We cognize that nary verdict tin undo the pain, but I anticipation contiguous brings immoderate tiny measurement of justice.

"It is close that an IOPC probe has been launched into the actions of the constabulary to get to the truth."

Digwa volition beryllium sentenced astatine Southampton Crown Court connected Monday.