Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Henry Nowak after falsely claiming the Southampton student had racially abused him
Police officers who arrested Henry Nowak in his final moments took approximately eight minutes to discover his stab wound, according to newly-released evidence. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years on June 1 for the murder of the 18 year old finance student, after falsely alleging Mr Nowak had racially abused him.
Outrage ensued after a three-minute police body-worn video was released showing Mr Nowak, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, being handcuffed moments before he lost consciousness and subsequently passed away.
A lengthier transcript of the footage released by the Crown Prosecution Service, initially obtained by the BBC, discloses the moment officers realised Mr Nowak had been stabbed.
Digwa had informed police attending the scene of the stabbing in Southampton in December last year that he had been the victim of a racist attack.
In body-worn camera footage from the incident, Mr Nowak can be heard repeatedly stating: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer responds: “You’ve been stabbed? Whereabouts? Don’t think you have, mate.”
The officer later says “he’s saying he’s been stabbed so let’s just check him and see”, and a female police officer requests an ambulance, describing how Mr Nowak’s pupils are not reacting before the video concludes.
In the transcript, at three minutes and five seconds, an officer identified as police officer one said: “I’m not sure he’s breathing.”
They proceed to uncuff Mr Nowak and commence CPR.
In the transcript, police officer one said: “Come on mate. That’s it, that’s it. Keeping breathing. Come on.”
According to the time-stamps, between five minutes and 24 seconds and seven minutes and 33 seconds, a female police officer asks for a torch, wanting to make sure Mr Nowak has not been stabbed, and asks for scissors.
After seven minutes and 33 seconds, the officer cuts his clothing and police officer one asks if he has been stabbed there, with an unseen gesture.
The female officer replies: “Yes, he’s got a stab… there’s a mark there.”
Police officer one adds: “That makes it worse. He’s got a stab… I’m pushing on a f****** stab wound.”
The female officer says: “That’s okay. It’s fine… It’s not coming out. It’s fine. Keep going. Keep going. It’s not bleeding out.”
Police officer one continues chest compressions and then a paramedic arrives on the scene.
Police officer one tells him “we just discovered a stab wound in his chest”.
The recording ends after eight minutes and 49 seconds.
It was released with no objection from Mr Nowak’s family, and after consultation with Hampshire Police.
Following the case, temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France, of Hampshire Constabulary, apologised on behalf of the officers, but said they were “lied to” and would have been unaware of Mr Nowak’s injury which he said would not have been obvious.