A former police officer has been compelled to relocate to a safe house after being mistakenly linked to the Henry Nowak murder case online.
Christi Hill, who dedicated 12 years of service as a police constable, has found herself at the center of a social media storm, with her name and photo being shared alongside unfounded accusations labeling her as a ‘murderer.’
Feeling abandoned, Hill has criticized Hampshire Constabulary for what she describes as a ‘clear lack of support’ in addressing the false claims, leaving her in fear for her safety as she seeks refuge.
The incident stems from the tragic case of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, who was wrongfully handcuffed by police and accused of racism while he lay dying from a stab wound inflicted by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa last December.
Despite Nowak’s pleas for help, as he struggled to breathe and informed officers of his stabbing, his cries went unheeded, and he was detained instead of aided.
In contrast, Digwa, who was sentenced to 21 years for murder on Monday, was taken into custody without being handcuffed.
Anger has reached boiling point over the horrific incident with false claims made online over who were the arresting officers.
Christi Hill, who served as a police constable for 12 years, has had her name and photograph circulated on social media, alongside accusations of her being a ‘murderer’
Henry Nowak, 18, was a finance student at the University of Southampton and was described as ‘kind and talented’ by his family
Police bodycam footage shows innocent victim Henry Nowak, 18, being forced into handcuffs by officers after he was stabbed repeatedly by a knife-obsessed Sikh man
Anti-police protesters took to the streets of Southampton yesterday, to show their fury at the way the police treated Mr Nowak amid claims of two-tier policing.
Hampshire Constabulary has said that they will not be naming the officers involved.
The claims online have included the wrongful incrimination of Ms Hill and another officer.
This comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood yesterday said a male police officer had been misidentified as one of those involved and that he had to move out of his home.
The damaging allegations have now also been published on AI platform Grok.
Ms Hill served as an officer in Portsmouth for 12 years before leaving the force in April 2024 – 20 months before the murder took place.
She has now released a statement, which reads: ‘I am writing this post with a heavy heart, both out of deep sadness for a tragic event and out of a necessity to protect my reputation, safety and peace of mind.
‘Today, my name and image have been widely circulated on social media, and now by AI platforms such as Grok, falsely identifying me as one of the arresting officers in the Henry Nowak case.
‘To be absolutely clear, I was not involved in this incident. In fact, I left Hampshire Constabulary in April 2024.
‘The tragic events involving Henry Nowak occurred in December 2025.
Murderer Vickrum Digwa is seen lying to police as he tells them the teenager ripped off his turban in a racist attack
An image issued by the Crown Prosecution Service shows the eight-inch ceremonial dagger used by Digwa
Murderer Digwa lied to police at the scene, telling officers Mr Nowak had not been stabbed and had instead attack him
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‘The confusion stems from a national police bravery award media release. A photo of myself and a former colleague who has also been wrongfully targeted is being repeatedly shared and misattributed to this case.
‘It is alarming to see how quickly a piece of outdated media can be weaponised by algorithms and accepted as fact by AI platforms, despite being factually impossible.
‘It is deeply unsettling to have my name wrongly attached to such a high-profile and sensitive matter whilst there has been a clear lack of support from Hampshire Constabulary in rectifying this false narrative in a timely manner.
‘My primary thoughts remain with the family affected by this tragedy. They deserve justice and clarity, not the noise of online misinformation.
‘I kindly ask my network to help share this clarification.’
The former officer’s mother Nikki Hill added: ‘It’s been terrible seeing her name and face all over the internet calling her a murderer.’
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson said: ‘We know there has been significant commentary following the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa and we recognise the desire for answers about the police response that night.
‘However, what we cannot accept is the significant spread of misinformation online by those intent on causing further fear and division by making threats to officers and sharing names that are simply not true.
‘A police officer unrelated to this case has been misidentified online and subject to death threats.
‘The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is continuing its independent investigation into our response on the night in question, following our self-referral the next day.
‘While that progresses, we ask that people avoid harmful speculation online.’
