Henry Nowak cop’s resignation unrelated to scholar’s homicide, chief constable claims
WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT:The chief constable of Hampshire Constabulary, Alexis Boon, has confirmed one of the officers involved at the scene of Henry Nowak being arrested while stabbed has resigned
The chief constable of Hampshire Constabulary confirmed one of the officers involved during the shocking bodycam of stabbed student Henry Nowak has resigned, but not over this incident.
Nowak, 18, was stabbed to death by killer Vickrum Digwa, who lied to police that he was racially attacked by the student. Following Digwa’s sentencing on Monday (June 1), bodycam footage of Nowak’s final moments caused outrage over the officers involved.
The bodycam footage shows Nowak in a pool of blood on the drive of a home in Southampton. He can be heard calling out to officers ‘I’ve been stabbed’ three times.
An officer then appears to dismiss his pleas for help and replied: “you’ve been stabbed? Whereabouts? I don’t think you have mate”.
The release of the bodycam footage sparked violent scenes at the police station in Southampton and at the scene where Nowak tragically died last night (June 2). Protestors were angered by the actions of officers, who arrested Nowak, and have sparked calls of two-tier policing, particularly by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Hampshire Constabulary’s chief constable Alexis Boon has addressed the protest last night and the threats his officers have received over Nowak’s murder. However, Boon confirmed to BBC’s Lucy Manning that one member of the force involved had quit but then claimed it was unrelated to what happened during the Nowak incident.
Boon said his force was dealing with an “incredible” level of abuse, not only during the disorder in Southampton on Tuesday evening but online as well.
He told the Press Association: “What people don’t see and don’t understand is that because of the divisive rhetoric out there, innocent police officers across my force are being targeted with threats, (and) their families, (with) social media abuse.
“It is quite incredible, it is totally unacceptable. We’re investigating it, but it is a symptom of people using an absolute appalling tragedy to forward their agenda and to make unacceptable threats.”
He added: “We’re investigating, but I think people don’t really appreciate sometimes the fact that honest, decent police officers have been targeted for the fact they are police officers.
“We need our police officers to have confidence to police our communities.
“We’re looking after and supporting our people, but it is absolutely unacceptable at this time.”
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