One of the four police officers involved in the death of Henry Novak has resigned after it was revealed that they believed the assailant's statements and handcuffed the severely stabbed young man.
Foreign news agencies reported on 2 Jun 2026, citing Hampshire police disclosures that one officer involved in Henry Novak's case was shown in a court-released video handcuffing the student while he was lying near death, struggling to breathe after being stabbed.
A police spokesperson told the BBC that one officer has resigned, while the other three continue to serve.
The assault and murder of 18-year-old Henry Novak occurred on the night of 3 December 2025, when he was fatally stabbed while walking on Belmont Road in the Portswood area of Southampton, UK.
The case regained public attention in late May and early June this year during the trial, which revealed that the perpetrator, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, lied to police claiming he was assaulted and racially abused (alleging the victim pulled off his headscarf) to distort the case.
Hampshire police who arrived at the scene believed the perpetrator's claims and handcuffed Novak while he lay gasping for breath. In the footage, Novak can be heard saying, "I've been stabbed," but one officer replies, "I don't think you have, mate," causing a delay in medical aid that led to his death.
During the May 2026 trial, the jury and judge rejected Digwa’s self-defense claim, stating the perpetrator’s testimony was entirely false, sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years before eligibility for parole.
However, the incident and the police bodycam footage sparked public questions about UK police conduct, with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying he felt "sickened" after viewing the video.
Sir Starmer also called for a full investigation into how "allegations of racial discrimination" may have influenced police decisions.
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Source:independent