𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Chief Constable of the force that arrested Henry Nowak has dismissed claims of two-tier policing as he rejected calls to resign.

Alexis Boon apologised for his officers “handcuffing and arresting Henry” as the teenager begged for help after being stabbed five times by Vickrum Digwa.

But he insisted the 18-year-old was not treated differently because of his race.

And Chief Constable Boon said the officers who handcuffed Mr Nowak after he was falsely accused of racism are no longer on frontline duties.

Speaking for the first time, Mr Boon said: “I am clear we are sorry for handcuffing and arresting Henry, but I don’t know if that is cutting through for people. We understand it and are genuinely sorry.

“I don’t accept the term of two-tier policing. I don’t recognise it.

“I see officers and staff out there day in, day out working incredibly hard to deliver for all our communities. I just don’t recognise the concept.”

Officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary restrained Henry Nowak after Digwa accused him of racism.

Mr Nowak, 18, told officers he couldn’t breathe nine times.

And when the University of Southampton student said he had been stabbed, a police officer responded: “I don’t think you have mate”.

Digwa was sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in prison.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the murder was a “watershed moment” that would lead politicians and police forces to confront “a two-tier culture where some groups receive greater protection than others”.

Mr Farage warned of more angry protests unless police chiefs scrap anti-racism guidance which tells officers to treat ethnic minorities differently.

The Reform UK leader told the Prime Minister “millions” believe “we’re living under two-tier policing”.

In response, Sir Keir Starmer launched a highly personal attack, claiming Mr Farage’s call for “rage” in response to the death of Henry Nowak was “unforgivable”.

Guidance given to police officers says ethnic minorities must be treated differently to get them better outcomes.

Chiefs are urgently reviewing the “clumsy” wording, with sources close to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood insisting everyone must be “equal in the eyes of the law”.

But Mr Farage told the Prime Minister during a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions: “It is now clear to growing millions in this country that we’re living under two-tier policing.

“The instructions that are given to police officers from police bosses are clear and written down in ink. It says you must treat different ethnic groups in different ways.”

Mr Farage added in a separate radio interview: “The division will get far worse.

“What you saw in Southampton last night is the beginning. If we get large numbers of young white males who think the police are prejudiced against them, goodness knows where we go. This has to end.”

Sir Keir responded: “I don’t believe there’s two-tier policing in this country.

“His response has been to appeal for rage. Rage. That’s his response to a father who’s lost his son and asked for that not to happen. Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances but to do it when the family are expressly saying ‘please don’t’ is unforgivable. It shows exactly who he is.”

And Mr Boon said a “furore” had been “whipped up” over the scandal.

He added: “It is not for me to tell politicians what to say. Politicians have a platform and a responsibility to ensure that they support the police and that violence does not ensue and I don’t think any politician wants to see violence spark out on the streets of Southampton or anywhere else.

“I think everyone would condemn what happened last night.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “He [Henry Nowak] shouldn’t have spent his dying moments in handcuffs crying out for help on a pavement while his killer’s lie was treated more seriously than Henry’s life.

“The way we solve this is by focusing on equality under the law for everyone.

“We do not solve it by whipping up anger or victimhood or grievance.

“I want a colour-blind society where the colour of your skin matters no more than the colour of your skin.

“I agree with Nigel Farage that the system failed Henry. But the language he uses here is not just wrong, it’s the language of Black Lives Matter.

“I’m tired of people arguing whether it is black lives or white lives that matter more. Every life matters. One standard for everyone.”

Chief Constable Mr Boon admitted he could change anti-racism guidance given to officers.

He said: “The National Police Chiefs’ Council are welcoming views on that and then we’ll, of course, consider those and make adaptations as necessary.

“We’re very much linked in with the national process and of course, we’re reviewing and looking at our own policies internally.”

The current guidance states: “Our commitment to racial equity means producing equality of policing outcomes for people from different ethnic groups by responding to individuals and communities according to their specific needs, circumstances and experiences, with the understanding that these will be racialised … It does not mean treating everyone ‘the same’ or being ‘colour blind’(racial equality).”

Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence who was stabbed to death in a racist attack in 1993, said the police “should be at fault for what happened” after Henry Nowak was stabbed.

The Labour peer told the Lords: “My condolence goes out to Henry Nowak’s family.

“I think what happened with him should never have happened. And the police should be at fault for what happened on that night.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Donna Jones says Henry Nowak’s family were “disappointed” to see the violent protests in Southampton on Tuesday night.

Ms Jones said: “They do not support protests, they do not support the kind of unrest that we saw on the streets.

“They’ve called for calm, and if you recall back to Mark Nowak’s statement on the steps of the court on Monday this week, when his son’s murderer was sentenced to life imprisonment, he actually said quite the opposite – he asked for calm and he asked for reflection.

“What they don’t want is hate and division coming off the back of the tragedy of Henry’s death.”