Police took eight minutes to find Henry Nowak’s fatal stab wound

Figure caption,

BBC Verify explain the key moments of the police bodycam footage.

ByNikki Mitchell, South of England home affairs correspondent and Dan Kerins, South of England

Police officers took eight minutes to discover the stab wound that killed Henry Nowak, newly disclosed evidence has revealed.

The panic and horror of the police officer who handcuffed and arrested the dying student on a Southampton street becomes apparent as he and colleagues try to save Henry’s life.

After Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life, video from the attending officer’s body worn camera caused national outrage and sparked violent disorder in Southampton.

After intense public criticism of police actions in this case, a transcript of the full recording – exclusively released to the BBC with no objection from Henry’s family who come from Chafford Hundred in Essex – reveals what happened next.

Warning: The following details may be distressing

In the video, Digwa is heard consistently lying to police, claiming he has been racially attacked by Henry Nowak, so initially, officers fail to believe Henry’s insistent pleas that he has “been stabbed”.

The male police officer in the transcript extracts below is the same officer heard in the video saying, “Don’t think you have mate,” before restraining him.

The interactive tool below will guide you through the events and the words of the police officers on the scene.

Image caption,

The stab wound discovered in Henry Nowak’s chest was estimated to be 8cm deep

Timings on the transcript indicate it takes police officers eight minutes to discover the fatal stab wound in Henry’s chest after arriving on scene.

Efforts to save Henry’s life continued for another 51 minutes, until an emergency doctor who had been flown in by helicopter eventually recorded the 18-year-old’s time of death as 00:37 on 4 December, 2025.

Before sentencing Digwa, Judge William Mousley KC said: “The genuine shock to the particular police officer, when he realised that he had been giving CPR to Henry when he had a serious chest wound tends to show that he was doing his best in a very difficult situation”.

He also acknowledged that the attending police officers had been given a “convincing but wholly false narrative” of the incident and added that “sometimes, someone arrested and handcuffed will feign injury” in the hope of being released.

Evidence was heard during Digwa’s trial about the severity of the chest wound which killed Henry.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the pathologist who spoke in court was clear “there was nothing officers could have done that day to save Henry” as his fatal wound had caused “extensive” internal bleeding.

The force has apologised to Henry Nowak’s family for the way he was treated at the scene.

Referring to officer’s bodycam footage, Chief Constable Alexis Boon said: “What was filmed there is a tragedy, an absolute tragedy. You can’t help but be affected by it. It’s very difficult to watch. I really feel for the family.”

Custody photo of Vickrum Digwa, a man with a beard, a grey jumper and a purple turban looking to the camera. — Image caption,

Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life and told he would serve a minimum of 21 years

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the officers’ actions on the night of the stabbing and is expected to release its preliminary findings in September.

A full jury inquest into the death of the student is due to open at Winchester Coroner’s Court on 20 September 2027 and will look at whether any “act or omission by a police officer” caused or contributed to his death.

The attorney general’s office has referred Digwa’s minimum 21–year jail sentence to the Court of Appeal after receiving “multiple requests” to review it under the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme.