Disturbing new police bodycam footage has revealed the moment Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old student, was handcuffed and dismissed by officers after being stabbed eight times with a ceremonial Sikh dagger in Southampton last December. The harrowing video shows Mr Nowak repeatedly telling police "I can't breathe" and "I've been stabbed," only to be met with disbelief and arrested instead of receiving medical attention.
Murder and Deception
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years. He stabbed Mr Nowak with an eight-inch blade, which he claimed he carried as part of his Sikh faith. After the attack, Digwa told police a "wicked" lie, alleging that Mr Nowak had racially abused him and knocked off his turban. However, the bodycam footage shows Digwa without his turban when officers arrived, suggesting he removed it himself.
Police Response Condemned
The footage begins with officers arriving at the scene. Mr Nowak is seen slumped against a house, held upright by Digwa's father, Moga Singh. Digwa complains of a "swollen eye and a little bruise," while Mr Nowak gasps, "I've been stabbed." An officer responds, "Let's get you out of here, shall we?" and proceeds to drag Mr Nowak across gravel. When Mr Nowak repeats that he has been stabbed, an officer says, "I don't think you have, mate."
Mr Nowak is then handcuffed while continuing to say he cannot breathe and has been stabbed in the face. He was laid on his side and read his rights. The court later heard he had suffered eight stab wounds and was left to choke on his own blood.
Family's Anguish
Following Digwa's sentencing, Mr Nowak's father condemned the police treatment, stating: "Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading. His murderer, however, was afforded decency. He was not handcuffed when arrested or transported to the police station. As far as we understand, he was never handcuffed at all. And, as Vickrum Digwa himself told the court, while under arrest for Henry's murder, police even took him to the kitchen so he could choose his food. The contrast is unbearable."
