NIGEL Farage has blasted the cops who believed a killer’s “racist attack” lie as his victim bled to death while in handcuffs.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, knifed 18-year-old Henry Nowak five times in a random street attack as the teenager made his way home from a night out.
When police arrived on the scene in Southampton, Hampshire, Digwa accused the teen of making racist remarks – causing officers to place Henry in handcuffs as he lay dying.
Digwa, 23, used a “racism trump card” to spread the “wicked lie” that Henry had racially abused him by knocking his turban off.
Bodycam footage shows Henry, with his dying breath, telling cops four times that he had been stabbed – only for one to say “I don’t think you have, mate”. The teenager died just an hour after the video was taken.
The chilling case has sparked fury from the public and politicians alike, as Hampshire Police are investigated by the IOPC.
Reform UK leader Farage praised Henry’s family for reacting in such a “dignified way” but called for the public to respond with “pure cold rage”.
He said: “He was actually treated in a way that meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder.
“We’re living in a two-tier culture in this country where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities.”
Sir Keir Starmer gave his condolences to Henry’s family after the “shocking case” in a statement on social media.
The Prime Minister said that we must “end the cycle of tragedy” by tackling the horror of knife crime.
Farage said he would be writing to the Attorney General to ask for Digwa’s sentence to be toughened.
A spokesperson for the office is considering his sentence after receiving “multiple requests” to review it under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
This is the first stage, with the law officers having 28 days to review the case and decide whether to send it to the Court of Appeal – which will then make a decision.
Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years after he was found guilty of murder and carrying a knife in public.
His mum Kiran Kaur, 53, was convicted of assisting an offender after hiding the murder weapon at the family home.
The Reform leader continued: “Henry’s family have responded to this in just the most extraordinarily dignified way, but I suggest the rest of us respond to this with pure cold cold rage. This is wrong.”
Henry’s family gave moving victim impact statements to Southampton Crown Court, with his mum Lucy Ross describing the pain of his death as being “beyond anything I knew existed”.
Henry’s dad slams ‘shocking’ police treatment
Speaking outside Southampton Crown Court, Henry Nowak’s father Mark said “justice in the eyes of the law has been served but justice alone is not enough” after his son’s killer was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years.
“We are calling on the Government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is,” he said.
He said the family would “carry this grief every single day for the rest of our lives”, adding: “Today Henry was believed. The truth was recognised.”
Mr Nowak continued: “Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him.
“Let me be absolutely clear – we hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100% responsible for the brutal murder of our son. But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading.
“His murderer, however, was afforded decency. He was believed. He was not handcuffed when arrested. He was not handcuffed when transported to the police station.
“As far as we understand, he was never handcuffed at all.
“And, as Vickrum Digwa himself told the court, while under arrest for Henry’s murder, police even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food. The contrast is unbearable.”
Mr Nowak described the police treatment of his son as “shocking” and added: “The IOPC investigation remains ongoing. While we await its final report, we are calling on the Home Secretary to ensure that the IOPC has the resources, authority and independence it needs to conduct a full, fearless and transparent investigation.
“Our family should not have to fight for the truth anymore.”
Henry’s dad Mark told how he would be haunted forever by his son’s murder.
He also branded the way his son was treated as “degrading” and “inhumane” as he added: “Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved.
“He lost consciousness before anyone believed him.”
Southampton Crown Court heard Digwa was heard bragging “I’m a bad man” moments before the attack in December last year.
He repeatedly stabbed Henry with a Kirpan-style blade – curved, single-edged ceremonial sword or dagger that initiated (Amritdhari) Sikhs are required to wear at all times.
In the UK, Sikhs are legally permitted to carry a Kirpan in public as it is protected under religious exemption laws.
However, Digwa was found to have a small Kirpan around his neck that fulfilled his religious obligation.
The “Shastar” blade he carried on him was much larger – around 21cm, the court heard.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds suggested the Government would not be examining the exemption allowing Sikhs to carry knives.
He told the BBC: “There is an exception in terms of carrying bladed articles in public places for particular religious and ceremonial reasons.
“And whilst, of course, we’ve been tightening up the law, we’ve banned things like terrible zombie knives, we’ve tightened up the law in terms of online purchasing of knives.”
Sentencing Digwa, Judge Mousley KC said: “Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their own safety even though they have done absolutely nothing wrong.”
The court heard that Henry had died from drowning in his own blood shortly after police arrested him for the “wicked lie” that he had perpetrated the attack.
The judge added: “In addition to killing Henry and the irreparable harm to those close to him, you have also caused real suffering to others who knew him.
“You have brought shame upon your family, your community and your religion.”
Digwa’s family said in a statement: “The loss of a young life is a grief that no family should ever have to carry. We are deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the Nowak family has had to endure.
“We love Vickrum. We will continue to love him. That love does not stand in opposition to the sorrow we feel for the Nowak family. Both are real, and both will remain with us for the rest of our lives.
“We would give anything to turn back time so the path of both Henry and Vickrum never crossed that night. We cannot change what has happened, we just hope that no further pain is caused in its name.
“We apologise to the Sikh community for our son’s actions which have unfairly brought the community into disrepute.
“We ask that this tragedy is not used by anyone to inflame division or hostility towards any community. We now ask for privacy as we come to terms with what lies ahead.”
Hampshire Police apologised over the case, with Deputy Chief Constable Robert France saying: “I am really sorry that Henry was arrested and handcuffed just before he lost consciousness, it’s essential that we conduct that investigation.
“But officers were attending a complicated and confusing situation, we know there was a delay in them being called, we know there were lies in that 999 call, we know they were lied to as they attended the scene and even as Henry’s condition was deteriorating.
“Within three minutes of them being with Henry they had recognised the seriousness of his condition and were starting to give him first aid.
“It’s that whole picture that I’d ask people to consider.”
