Fresh figures have intensified scrutiny of Hampshire Police as the force faces accusations of anti-white bias following the handling of the murder of teenager Henry Nowak. The controversy comes as new data shows officers are more than five times more likely to stop and search a black person than a white person, a disparity higher than the national average and one that has widened in recent years. A Murder Case That Sparked a National Row The debate erupted after 18-year-old Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December. When officers arrived, they treated the wounded teenager as a suspect rather than a victim after his attacker, Vickrum Digwa, allegedly claimed he had been racially abused. Despite telling police he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe, Nowak was handcuffed and arrested at the scene. The case has since fuelled allegations of "two-tier policing" and prompted comparisons with some of the most controversial failures in modern British policing. Stop-and-Search Figures Add Fuel to the Fire Official data shows Hampshire officers were 5.1 times more likely to stop and search a black person than a white person during the latest reporting year. The figure exceeds the England and Wales average of 3.8 and marks an increase from previous years. Police carried out around 15,000 stop-and-searches, with roughly 60 per cent resulting in no further action or advice. Critics argue the statistics raise questions about racial disproportionality. Police leaders nationally continue to defend stop and search as a key crime-fighting tool while pledging to reduce disparities. Competing Claims Over Bias The case has become a flashpoint in the wider debate over fairness in the criminal justice system. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has compared the failures in the Nowak case to those surrounding the murder of Stephen Lawrence. However, Lawrence's friend Duwayne Brooks rejected claims of anti-white racism, arguing the case reflected poor policing rather than racial favouritism. Pressure Builds as Investigations Continue The Independent Office for Police Conduct is continuing its investigation and is due to update Nowak's family this month. So far, the watchdog says it has found no indication of criminal or disciplinary offences by officers, though it stresses that assessment remains under review. A jury inquest next year will examine the circumstances surrounding Nowak's death and the police response that has left Hampshire Police facing some of the most intense scrutiny in its history. Nowak murder: Police accused of ‘anti-white bias’ five times more likely to stop black people
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