Newly released evidence has revealed that police officers who arrested Henry Nowak in his final moments took around eight minutes to discover his stab wound. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years on June 1 for the murder of the 18-year-old finance student, after falsely claiming Mr Nowak had racially abused him during the incident in Southampton last December.
Body-worn camera footage reveals delay
Anger erupted after a three-minute police body-worn video was released showing Mr Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, being placed in handcuffs moments before he lost consciousness and subsequently died. A longer transcript of the footage, released by the Crown Prosecution Service and first obtained by the BBC, reveals the moment officers realised Mr Nowak had been stabbed, following Digwa's initial false report of being a victim of a racist attack.
In body-worn camera footage from the incident, Mr Nowak can be heard repeatedly saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replies: “You’ve been stabbed? Whereabouts? Don’t think you have, mate.” The officer later says “he’s saying he’s been stabbed so let’s just check him and see”, and a female police officer calls for an ambulance, describing how Mr Nowak’s pupils are not reacting before the video ends.
Transcript details timeline of discovery
In the transcript, at three minutes and five seconds, an officer identified as police officer one said: “I’m not sure he’s breathing.” They proceed to uncuff Mr Nowak and start CPR. Police officer one said: “Come on mate. That’s it, that’s it. Keeping breathing. Come on.” According to the time-stamps, between five minutes and 24 seconds and seven minutes and 33 seconds, a female police 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 and 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 adds: “That makes it worse. He’s got a stab… I’m pushing on a f****** stab wound.” The female officer says: “That’s okay. It’s fine… It’s not coming out. It’s fine. Keep going. Keep going. It’s not bleeding out.”
Police apology and investigation
Police officer one continues chest compressions and then a paramedic arrives on the scene. Police officer one tells him “we just discovered a stab wound in his chest”. The recording ends after eight minutes and 49 seconds. It was released with no objection from Mr Nowak’s family, and after consultation with Hampshire Police.
Following the case, temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France, of Hampshire Constabulary, apologised on behalf of the officers, but said they were “lied to” and would have been unaware of Mr Nowak’s injury which he said would not have been obvious. He said: “This is an absolutely tragic case, and my sympathies are absolutely with Henry’s family, his friends, and his loved ones. 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 is investigating Hampshire Police’s response in Mr Nowak’s case. The jury inquest into his death next year at Winchester Coroner’s Court will also look at whether any “act or omission by a police officer” caused or contributed to his death.
