‘Don’t think you have, mate’: Police took eight minutes to discover fatal stab wound on dying teenager Henry Nowak
Police officers who arrested 18-year-old Henry Nowak in his final moments took approximately eight minutes to discover the stab wound that would kill him, newly released evidence has revealed. A longer transcript of body-worn camera footage — released by the Crown Prosecution Service — shows the moment officers realised the University of Southampton finance student had been stabbed, after his attacker falsely claimed he was the victim of a racist assault.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years on June 1 for murder, after he fatally stabbed Mr Nowak five times with a 21 cm (8.3 in) dagger on the night of December 3, 2025, in Southampton. The teenager was walking home alone after a night out with football teammates.
The eight-minute delay
The transcript, which covers the full eight minutes and 49 seconds of the body-worn recording, reveals in minute-by-minute detail how officers dismissed Mr Nowak’s repeated pleas that he had been stabbed. At the start of the footage, an officer can be heard telling the 18-year-old: “Don’t think you have, mate.” A female officer calls for an ambulance, noting that Mr Nowak’s pupils are not reacting.
At three minutes and five seconds, an officer identified as police officer one says: “I’m not sure he’s breathing.” The officers then uncuff Mr Nowak and begin CPR. Police officer one says: “Come on mate. That’s it, that’s it. Keep breathing. Come on.”
It is not until between five minutes and 24 seconds and seven minutes and 33 seconds that a female officer asks for a torch, wanting to make sure Mr Nowak has not been stabbed, and asks for scissors. After seven minutes and 33 seconds, the officer cuts his clothing. Police officer one asks if he has been stabbed there, with an unseen gesture. The female officer replies: “Yes, he’s got a stab… there’s a mark there.”
Police officer one responds: “That makes it worse. He’s got a stab… I’m pushing on a f****** stab wound.” The female officer then reassures him: “That’s okay. It’s fine… It’s not coming out. It’s fine. Keep going. Keep going. It’s not bleeding out.” The officer continues chest compressions and a paramedic arrives. Police officer one tells the paramedic: “We just discovered a stab wound in his chest.” The recording ends at eight minutes and 49 seconds.
The footage was released with no objection from Mr Nowak’s family and after consultation with Hampshire Police. According to a pathologist, nothing the officers could have done that night could have saved Henry’s life, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. However, the circumstances of the delay will be examined at a jury inquest next year.
Police apology and investigation
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France, of Hampshire Constabulary, issued a public apology on behalf of the officers, but said they were “lied to” by Digwa, who falsely claimed Mr Nowak had racially abused him and knocked off his turban. Mr France said the injury would not have been obvious.
“This is an absolutely tragic case, and my sympathies are absolutely with Henry’s family, his friends, and his loved ones,” he said. “I want to apologise, I want to say that I am sorry that Henry couldn’t be saved that night. I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is conducting an independent investigation into Hampshire Police’s response, including the use of handcuffs and the first aid provided. The IOPC has stated that the officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses, but this is under review. The body-worn footage and other evidence are being examined.
A jury inquest into Henry Nowak’s death is scheduled to open at Winchester Coroner’s Court on September 20, 2027. It will examine whether any “act or omission by a police officer” or any delay in treatment caused or contributed to his death, engaging Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights because the death occurred while Mr Nowak was in police custody.
The murder and trial of Vickrum Digwa
Digwa, who has no previous convictions, was described by prosecutors as being obsessed with weapons and having a substantial collection of blades. He had previously been arrested and released without charge after allegedly stealing knives from a Sikh temple in 2023. The Crown Prosecution Service said the dagger used was a separate weapon, not a religious necessity — while British law permits Sikhs to carry a small kirpan discreetly, the 21 cm blade was described as a weapon Digwa was “skilled with, trained with, sleeps with, searches for on his phone”.
After the stabbing, Digwa and his brother falsely told police that Mr Nowak had racially abused and assaulted him, and had knocked off his turban. The CPS described the claim as a “wicked lie”. Officers arriving at the scene, misled by the allegation, treated the fatally injured Mr Nowak as the suspect, handcuffed him and told him he was under arrest for assault.
On May 28, 2026, Digwa was found guilty of murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place by a jury at Southampton Crown Court. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was convicted of assisting an offender for removing and concealing the murder weapon. The judge stated that Digwa’s claim of being racially abused was a lie and that Mr Nowak had not said anything racist. He added that Digwa had “brought shame upon your family, your community and your religion”.
On June 15, 2026, the Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves KC, referred Digwa’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme to determine whether the minimum term should be increased.
Public outcry and political fallout
The release of the body-worn camera footage sparked significant public outrage. Protests erupted in Southampton, with some leading to clashes with police, resulting in injuries to officers. The incident fueled a debate about “two-tier policing” and alleged anti-white bias, with figures including Nigel Farage and Elon Musk commenting on the case. Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged calm and accused those exploiting the murder of creating division.
The Home Secretary made a statement in Parliament on June 2, 2026, acknowledging the tragedy, paying tribute to the Nowak family, and emphasising that the case was about murder, not Sikhism or racism.
Henry Nowak’s family has expressed their grief and condemned the “inhumane and degrading” treatment of their son by police. However, they have also stressed their desire for his death not to be used to create further division, hatred, or tension, and called for unity and common sense in policing. They have called for rebuilding trust in the police.
There have also been instances of misinformation, with a police officer unrelated to the case being misidentified online and receiving death threats. The CPS has authorised further charges against other members of Digwa’s family in connection with the case.
