The Case of Henry Nowak

Henry Nowak was an 18-year-old university student who had recently moved to Southampton to attend the University of Southampton. On 3 December 2025, he was fatally stabbed during an encounter with 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa. Following the attack, Digwa falsely claimed that he had been the victim of a racist assault.

Henry Nowak was an 18-year-old university student who had recently moved to Southampton to attend the University of Southampton. On 3 December 2025, he was fatally stabbed during an encounter with 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa. Following the attack, Digwa falsely claimed that he had been the victim of a racist assault. The case attracted widespread attention because police initially treated the seriously injured Nowak as a suspect rather than a victim. Despite repeatedly telling officers that he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe, he was handcuffed while suffering fatal injuries. Subsequent investigations, witness evidence, and video footage disproved Digwa's account of events. Digwa was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.

The attack occurred on a street in Southampton during the early hours of 3 December 2025. Evidence presented in court showed that Digwa stabbed Henry Nowak with a 21-centimetre bladed weapon. Following the stabbing, Digwa remained at the scene and falsely alleged that Nowak had racially abused and attacked him. When police arrived, they initially accepted Digwa's account and detained Nowak despite his visible injuries. Body-worn camera footage later revealed Nowak repeatedly stating that he had been stabbed and was unable to breathe. He collapsed at the scene and died from his injuries. The circumstances surrounding the police response became a major focus of public scrutiny and prompted an independent investigation.

Investigators examined witness statements, CCTV footage, mobile phone evidence, and police body-camera recordings. The evidence demonstrated that Digwa's claims of a racist attack were false and that Nowak had not posed a threat. Prosecutors successfully argued that the stabbing was an unlawful and deliberate act of violence. Police searches later uncovered additional weapons connected to Digwa's household. Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was convicted of assisting an offender after helping conceal the murder weapon. The murder conviction resulted in a mandatory life sentence. Following public concern over the handling of the case, the Independent Office for Police Conduct launched an investigation into the actions of the responding officers.

Vickrum Digwa was convicted of the murder of Henry Nowak following a trial at Southampton Crown Court. In June 2026, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years before becoming eligible for parole. The court rejected Digwa's claims that he had acted in self-defence and found that he had falsely portrayed himself as the victim after the attack. Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was also convicted of assisting an offender after helping conceal evidence connected to the murder weapon.

The case attracted significant public attention due to the actions of the first responding police officers. Despite suffering fatal stab wounds, Henry Nowak was initially treated as a suspect and was handcuffed while repeatedly telling officers that he had been stabbed and could not breathe. Body-worn camera footage later showed the interaction and sparked widespread criticism. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened an investigation into the police response. Henry Nowak had recently begun studying at the University of Southampton and was described by family and friends as a hardworking and ambitious young man. His death prompted calls for greater scrutiny of police decision-making during emergency incidents.