Henry Nowak stabbing: murder conviction, police bodycam outcry and Southampton protests

Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life for stabbing 18-year-old student Henry Nowak in Southampton. Bodycam footage of Nowak being handcuffed as he lay dying sparked national outrage.

Student stabbed in Southampton: a murder conviction that shook the nation

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder of Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton. As BBC News reports, the case has triggered widespread protests, a police conduct investigation and fresh political debate over knife laws, race and public trust in policing.

Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, had been out with his university football teammates on the night of 3 December. He was walking home alone along Belmont Road, Southampton, at around 23:30 GMT when he crossed paths with Digwa in what Judge William Mousley KC described at sentencing as a "chance meeting". Nowak was unarmed and had been drinking at a level below the drink-drive limit.

Digwa was carrying two bladed weapons: a knife in a sheath and a larger dagger linked to his tradition as a member of the Nihang order of Sikhs. Nowak appeared to notice the larger blade and began filming Digwa on his phone, asking whether he was a "bad man". Digwa then took the phone. The judge said the precise sequence of events that followed was witnessed only by the two men, but that Digwa deliberately stabbed Nowak four times, including a fatal wound to the chest. Digwa subsequently filmed Nowak as he lay suffering.

Digwa was also convicted of carrying a knife in public. The judge rejected his claims that Nowak had racially abused him and that he had acted in self-defence, telling Digwa his actions had brought "shame" on his family and his religion, and had stirred up racial tension both in Southampton and across the country.

Police response draws intense scrutiny

It was Digwa's brother, not Nowak, who called 999 — claiming Vickrum had been the victim of a racially motivated attack. Officers arrived seven minutes later. Bodycam footage released by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, with the permission of Nowak's family, showed officers speaking to Digwa and others while Nowak lay on the ground, audibly repeating that he had been stabbed and could not breathe. Officers turned him onto his side, handcuffed his hands behind his back and told him he was under arrest. He later became unresponsive. An ambulance was called and CPR was started.

At sentencing, Judge Mousley stated that Nowak's injuries were so severe he would not have survived regardless of how quickly he received treatment. Nowak's family nonetheless said the manner in which he was treated was "inhumane and degrading". His father, Mark Nowak, speaking outside court, described the contrast between how his son and Digwa had been treated as "unbearable". "Henry did not die with dignity," he said.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has issued a formal apology. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said officers had been misled by the 999 call and had encountered an "extremely complex" crime scene. Chief Constable Alexis Boon told the BBC he was "distressed" by the footage and said he was sorry Nowak's family had been subjected to it. One officer shown in the footage has since left the force for an unrelated reason; three others have been removed from front-line duties.

The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is now investigating the response. Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has separately asked His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to review the matter.

Family remembered Nowak as kind and ambitious

In victim impact statements read to Southampton Crown Court, Nowak's family painted a portrait of a young man fully committed to his new chapter at university. His sister Olivia called him her "best friend" and said they shared "an unbreakable bond". His mother, Lucy Ross, described him as "ambitious, determined, and full of life".

Protests in Southampton and national political reaction

Despite appeals from Nowak's father urging people not to exploit his son's death to create division — "We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension," he said — demonstrations took place in Southampton on Tuesday evening. Police reported that officers were struck with chairs, cans and flares, leaving 11 officers and a police dog injured. The family condemned the disorder; Commissioner Jones confirmed they had told her they did not support protests or unrest. Four men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder and a fifth has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called it an "awful, shocking case" and said the investigation into the police response was correct. On Thursday he met Nowak's family at Downing Street, afterwards describing himself as "profoundly humbled" and saying Nowak deserved "a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the case should serve as a "wake-up call" and noted that Nowak's family had asked political leaders to work together to rebuild trust in policing. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage argued the case was evidence of "two-tier policing" and called for public anger in response — a characterisation Sir Keir challenged directly.

Source: BBC News