Newly released police bodycam footage captures the moment Henry Nowak's murderer, Vickrum Digwa, falsely told officers that the dying teenager had attacked him, as police took eight minutes to discover the fatal stab wound.
Digwa's False Claims to Police
In the footage, Digwa, 23, claimed Henry, 18, had assaulted him in a racially motivated attack in Southampton. Digwa told officers that Henry was drunk and had pulled his turban off, and that his wounds came from a punch or from falling over bins. Digwa was not handcuffed when arrested for attempted murder, while Henry was cuffed minutes earlier as he bled to death.
Digwa's father, Moga Singh, told police: “My son's just been assaulted. The gentleman that's on the floor assaulted my son.” Digwa added: “He pushed my turban off my head and started grabbing my hair. So I'm a Sikh obviously, and he started grabbing my hair and dragging me around.” He also claimed Henry had called him a racial slur.
Eight Minutes to Find the Wound
Despite Henry insisting he had been stabbed and begging for help, it took officers eight minutes to find his fatal wound. The footage shows Digwa lying about how Henry got injured, saying: “It must have been when we punched him. Must have been when we punched him. But he did fall over here, so he was climbing all over these bins and stuff like that and then he's fell over and landed onto that car.”
When arrested, Digwa pleaded: “What do you mean attempted murder? Why am I getting arrested?” The arresting officer responded that police didn't know what happened and needed to find out, adding “I'm not saying you've done anything, mate.”
Sentencing and Aftermath
Digwa was jailed for 23 years for murder and possession of an offensive weapon at Southampton Crown Court last month. Judge William Mousley KC told him: "I am sure that Henry had said nothing racist. You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character."
Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC said: “We say this, 'drunk' is a lie, 'going to kill me' is a lie and we say 'Paki' is a lie. The consequence and purpose of these lies is significant. Why he tells them is he is seeking to hide what he has done.”
The case sparked violent protests in Southampton, with 25 protesters charged with violent disorder. Hampshire Constabulary is under investigation by the IOPC over the arrest of Henry as he bled to death.
