Stephen Lawrence’s mother breaks silence over Henry Nowak tragedy | UK | News
Baroness Doreen Lawrence has criticized the police response to the murder of Henry Nowak, saying officers “should have been at fault” in their handling of the teenager’s final moments.
Stephen Lawrence, the mother of the murdered teenager, made statements in the House of Lords as the effects of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry in Southampton continued.
Offering her condolences to Henry’s family, Lady Lawrence said: “I send my condolences to the family of Henry Nowak.
“I think what happened to him should never have happened. And the police must be at fault for what happened that night.”
His intervention followed the release of body camera footage showing police officers handcuffing Henry after the man who stabbed him allegedly claimed he had been subjected to racial abuse.
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In the footage that sparked national outrage, Henry is seen telling officers he had been stabbed multiple times before the severity of his injuries was realized.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years earlier this week after being found guilty of Henry’s murder.
According to a report by GB News, Lady Lawrence also appeared to dispute comparisons between the case and the death of her son Stephen, whose racist murder in south-east London in 1993 became one of the most significant criminal cases in modern British history.
Referring to the long struggle for justice following Stephen’s death, she told her peers: “Now, when my son was murdered, there was no one to stand up and ask for judgment on his behalf.
“And even the fact that the Leader of the Opposition elsewhere could use my son’s name when talking about reform, it took 20 years or more to realize that my son had been murdered and to convict anyone.”
His comments followed those from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who argued that Henry’s murder and the subsequent police response should be a defining moment for England.
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Ms Badenoch has previously said: “Henry’s murder and the failed police response must be a seminal moment for Britain on par with the murder of Stephen Lawrence.”
Lady Lawrence also reflected on changes following her family’s campaign for justice, telling the House of Lords: “We have achieved much better equality for everyone in this country.”
The Henry Nowak case led to intense scrutiny of the actions of police officers who arrived at the scene; Hampshire Police have already apologized to the teenager’s family.
The Independent Police Conduct Office’s investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, Hampshire Police Federation condemned online abuse against officers and warned against calls for “vigilante justice” after some people were misidentified on social media.
Interim Deputy Chief Constable Robert France has previously said officers were misled by information initially presented to them and that they were dealing with what he called an “extremely complex” case.
