SOUTHAMPTON, UK — The tragic final moments of 18-year-old university student Henry Nowak have sparked national outrage in Britain after police bodycam footage showed officers handcuffing him as he lay bleeding out from multiple stab wounds, while his killer stood nearby falsely claiming to be the victim of a racist attack.

On December 3, 2025, Nowak, a first-year accounting and finance student at the University of Southampton, was walking home alone after a night out when he was confronted by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa. Digwa stabbed him five times with a 21cm dagger — including a fatal wound to the chest — in what the court described as a brutal and unprovoked attack.

When police arrived, Digwa lied, claiming Nowak had racially abused him, knocked off his turban, and assaulted him. Believing Digwa’s account, officers handcuffed the gravely wounded Nowak despite his repeated pleas: “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe.” Bodycam footage captured Nowak telling officers he was stabbed multiple times as they detained him.

Digwa was later convicted of murder on May 28, 2026, and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was convicted of assisting an offender by helping hide the weapon.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Chief Constable has since apologized for the officers’ handling of the scene, acknowledging the failure to immediately recognize Nowak as the victim. The case has fueled intense public debate, protests (some turning violent), and discussions about policing, “two-tier” responses, and knife crime in the UK.

Henry Nowak was remembered by family and friends as a kind, thoughtful young man with a bright future ahead. His death and the circumstances surrounding it continue to reverberate across the country.