Police ‘said Henry Nowak was aggressor’ after he was murdered | UK | News
Police reportedly tried to portray Henry Nowak as the attacker three days after he was killed. Hampshire Police attempted to issue a statement implying the 18-year-old student had attacked her killer, Vikrum Digwa, and his brother. According to the Sunday Times, police first said: “Two men were reportedly attacked by an unknown man.” Digwa lied to police, claiming he had been racially attacked after stabbing Henry. Officers did not believe Henry when he told them he had been stabbed.
Criticism from the Nowak family reportedly forced the police to change their stance. The force allegedly told them that the next update, which included a tribute from the family to Henry, would suggest he was the original attacker. However, this part of the statement is believed to have been changed to refer only to a “discussion”. It was also reported that Hampshire Police had been warned by the CPS because they risked crashing Digwa’s trial by trying to warn the public not to spread “disinformation” once court proceedings had begun.
The police message is understood to explain how a case is handled and remind people that nothing can be published that could prejudice legal proceedings. It is also believed that the police stated that they would answer questions after the murderer’s trial was over.
The CPS allegedly told police that any intervention could jeopardize the case against Digwa. Great Britain News reported.
Now a CPS spokesman said: “The CPS has stressed to police that it is important to maintain the integrity of the ongoing case and the risks of referring to any aspect of the evidence before it has been heard by the court and the case has been summed up by the judge to the jury.
“However, it has become clear that whether a statement is issued is ultimately a police operational decision.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire Police said: “Following the opening of the case and subsequent media reports, there has been a significant amount of misinformation and disinformation circulating online.
“This included requests to share information that had not been fully vetted in the context of the murder case.
“The purpose of the statement was to remind the public that there are ongoing legal proceedings and that the law is clear that nothing that could harm the case can be published.
“The decision not to publish was taken on the advice of the CPS.”
