Police officer involved in Henry Nowak case resigns after harrowing footage released

"Three of the officers are still serving, one officer has resigned," a spokesman for the force said.

"As the IOPC has confirmed, they are all being treated as witnesses, so not subject to any current restrictions."

Nowak, who was a finance student at the University of Southampton, tragically died after being stabbed with a 21cm knife on the way home from a night out on December 3 last year.

Officers who arrived at the scene came under fire after bodycam footage showed them dismissing the suggestion he had been stabbed.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was sentenced to life this week after being convicted of murder, lied to police by claiming he had been the victim of a racist attack.

After officers arrived at the scene, Nowak repeatedly said: "I have been stabbed."

However, one officer was heard replying: "I don't think you have, mate."

Nowak, who died just over an hour later, was placed in handcuffs and read his rights and told he was being placed under arrest.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is now investigating Hampshire & the Isle of Wight Constabulary's actions.

One of the force's top officers apologised last week, pointing out the police had been misled by Digwa's bogus claim about being the victim of a racist attack.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said: "It is a tragedy that officers did not immediately understand what had happened to Henry.

"I am sorry that he had been handcuffed and arrested as he lost consciousness.

"I don't want to hide the facts. I want people to understand the full facts."

He also said a pathologist report concluded there was nothing officers could have done to save the 18-year-old's life.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs today that a police officer was forced into hiding after being wrongly identified as part of Nowak's case.

She said: "Threats against police officers are utterly unacceptable.

"There can be no justification for intimidation, abuse or attempts to take the law into one's own hands.

"A police officer unrelated to this case has been misidentified online and subjected to death threats. He has been forced to relocate to protect himself and his family.

"Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse.

"We must all together condemn it, and we must also allow the facts to be established to the appropriate investigations and the courts, and we must do so calmly and responsibly."