Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old university student, was tragically killed in a brutal and random attack after a night out with his football teammates in Southampton. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed that Henry was drunk and racist, leading police to handcuff the dying teenager on the scene. Digwa was jailed for life today after being convicted of murder.
The Final Moments
Henry was walking home, sending Snapchat videos to friends, when he encountered Digwa. A video recovered from Henry's phone showed him singing and yawning before the clip cut to Digwa walking away. Henry can be heard saying, "Innit bad man, what bad man. You're a bad man, say you're a bad man, go on." Digwa replied, "I am a bad man," and moments later, Henry was stabbed with a Sikh knife.
Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told the court that Digwa was carrying an extremely large knife openly displayed over his clothing. Henry suffered four stab wounds and a cut to his jaw, with a fatal blow piercing his heart. After being stabbed, Henry climbed over a fence to escape but was fatally wounded.
The 'Wicked Lie'
Instead of admitting the stabbing, Digwa claimed he was racially attacked by Henry, saying Henry punched him and knocked off his turban. He did not inform officers that Henry was bleeding from multiple knife wounds. As a result, Henry was handcuffed and arrested, collapsing shortly after. Despite attempts to save him, Henry died at the scene.
Lobbenberg described Digwa's actions as a "wicked lie" that led to Henry dying alone, humiliated, and handcuffed. Digwa also made videos of Henry fleeing and dying, which the court deemed intrusive and humiliating.
Family's Devastation
Henry's father, Mark Nowak, broke down in court as he read his victim impact statement, saying, "As a father, it is my job to protect my child and I failed to keep him safe. The thought of him lying in the road, scared, bleeding to death will haunt me forever." He added that the family has been given a life sentence and the pain will remain until his dying day.
Henry's sister addressed Digwa directly, stating, "If you had known him, you would never have hurt him. My brother was my first best friend, an unbreakable bond. He lit up every room he walked into." Henry's mother described him as ambitious, determined, and full of life, with his future cruelly taken away.
The Trial and Sentencing
Judge William Mousley said Henry was a much-loved, kind, hard-working, and ambitious young man with a bright future. He noted that Digwa was carrying a large Sikh dagger, which is not a strict requirement of the Sikh faith. The judge stated that the privilege of carrying a bladed article brings huge responsibility, and Digwa violated that trust.
Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was found guilty of assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene. The Sikh Federation issued a statement saying that Henry's life was tragically cut short by a moment of madness and that if a kirpan is used aggressively, it is deemed an offensive weapon.
The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate the officers' actions. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France publicly apologized to Henry's family, saying, "I am sorry that Henry couldn't be saved that night and that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness."
