THE heartbroken family of murdered student Henry Nowak have told of the “dreaded knock” from police which changed their lives forever.
Heartbroken mum Lucy Ross broke down as she recalled the moment officers arrived to tell her that her 18-year-old son had been killed.
The university student was brutally stabbed five times with a ceremonial dagger by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton last December.
Digwa lied to responding cops by claiming that Henry had made racial slurs, punched him and knocked off his turban.
Henry was handcuffed by officers as he lay dying from stab wounds – all while Digwa was treated as a victim of racist abuse.
The teen’s murder would later cause widespread political outrage when sickening police body-worn camera footage emerged showing cops ignoring Henry’s pleas for help and arresting him.
The family has now spoken publicly for the first time about the devastating impact of his death and how they felt betrayed by cops in an emotional interview with ITV News.
They have opened up about the much-loved teenager behind the headlines for an ITV Tonight documentary, Dear Henry: Our Fight for Justice.
Devastated mum Lucy recalled how the family had been woken by their dog barking before daughter Olivia spotted police officers at the door.
“I jumped out of bed and I saw the police car on our driveway,” she told ITV.
“One of the police officers was holding his hat in his hand, and I just knew straight away that something horrific had happened.”
Mark was left on his knees after officers broke the news that his beloved son was dead.
Henry’s sister Olivia later called her dad to find out if he and Katie had heard what had happened.
She was left horrified when Mark answered the phone and screamed down the line.
He shouted that he had lost his boy before breaking down in tears.
Katie recalled the sound of her husband’s reaction as a cry she would never forget.
Mark said: “It’s just unbelievable pain.”
Olivia described her younger brother as her best friend and recalled how they would spend hours laughing together, filming TikTok videos and singing in the car.
But the family say their suffering was made even worse when they watched chilling police bodycam footage of Henry’s final moments.
The finance student repeatedly told officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe, but his desperate pleas were ignored.
He told cops he could not breathe at least nine times before being handcuffed.
The footage sparked widespread public outrage and violent disorder.
Katie said: “In the last year, our world has changed twice.
“The first time was the night we were told that Henry had died.
“And the second time was when we watched that video.”
Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years on June 1 for Henry’s murder.
His mother Kiran Kaur was also jailed for three years for assisting an offender after removing the ceremonial dagger used in the killing.
Earlier this week, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced an independent review into Henry’s murder.
The probe will be led by former justice secretary Alex Chalk and examine whether cultural sensitivities contributed to authorities failing to intervene over Digwa’s fixation with ceremonial knives.
It will look at the actions of police, education authorities and social services before the fatal attack.
Two officers who arrested Henry in his final moments are also under investigation for gross misconduct.
The police watchdog is examining whether the race or religion of Henry or the Digwa family influenced officers’ decisions.
The Nowak family are understood to have made formal complaints against Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
