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Judge William Mousley KC said he was ‘sure’ Mr Nowak never said anything racist to the murderer. He also referred to medical evidence suggesting his injuries were ‘not survivable’ even if he had received first aid straight away.
Mr Nowak’s father Mark, speaking after Digwa was sentenced on Monday, said: ‘We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.’
Earlier, a spokesman for Hampshire Police Federation said: ‘The murder of Henry Nowak was a tragedy, our thoughts are with his family and friends.
‘The officers’ actions that night are subject to rigorous independent scrutiny and we must let that process run its course.
‘The Police Federation condemns in the strongest possible terms the calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers we have seen in recent days.
‘That has included police officers being wrongly identified as being involved in the incident and personal details such as home address being widely published.
‘We call on politicians of all parties and media commentators to be more responsible in their comments – and allow due process for the officers involved to ensue.
Digwa lied to police at the scene, telling officers Mr Nowak had not been stabbed and had instead attack him
‘As a staff association we are supporting all Hampshire Police officers and we urge all our members to take appropriate action online and offline to stay safe.’
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has apologised for arresting Mr Nowak minutes before his death.
It comes after Sir Keir told the Cabinet that an investigation into the police response must be carried out ‘as quickly as possible’.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said he paid tribute to ‘kind, thoughtful and much-loved’ Mr Nowak, whose life was ‘ripped away in the most appalling circumstances’.
IOPC Director Derrick Campbell said: ‘Our thoughts and sympathies remain with everyone affected by Henry Nowak’s tragic death.
‘Our independent investigation into the contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight officers had with Mr Nowak immediately prior to his death on December 4, including the use of handcuffs by officers and the first aid provided, remains ongoing.
‘Our investigation began following a mandatory referral from the force, which we received the same day.
‘We acknowledge that this case has raised questions about the actions of the attending officers and we are aware that a few minutes of police body worn footage has been issued by the force following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
‘As part of our ongoing investigation we are reviewing a large amount of police body worn footage, which we need to consider in context with other evidence we have obtained, including reviewing material presented during the murder trial, as we establish the full circumstances.
‘Now that criminal proceedings have concluded, we are planning to meet with Mr Nowak’s family and provide them with updates about our investigation.
‘The officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses, however as with all investigations, this is kept under review throughout.’