Police Delay Criticism
Hampshire Police Apologize for Eight-Minute Delay in Identifying Fatal Stab Wound, Inquest to Follow
Key Points
A senior Hampshire Constabulary official issued a formal apology, saying officers were lied to by the suspect and would have been unaware of Henry Nowak's injury; he stressed, 'I am sorry that Henry couldn’t be saved that night. I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness.'
The suspect, Vickrum Digwa, is described as a convicted murderer who provided a false account to police, claiming Nowak attacked him and that Nowak had knocked off his turban in a racially motivated attack, which misled responders at the scene.
Transcript and bodycam material indicate the eight-minute gap before officers identified the fatal stab wound, including moments where a responder noted, 'Yes, he's got a stab... there's a mark there,' and later told medics, 'We just discovered a stab wound in his chest.'
The release of the transcript has prompted an inquest into Henry Nowak’s death, with a Winchester Coroner’s Court jury inquiry planned to examine whether any police act or omission contributed to his death.
A newly released transcript shows that Hampshire police took eight minutes to find the fatal stab wound on 18-year-old Henry Nowak after arriving at the scene in Southampton. According to GB News, officers handcuffed Nowak as he lay dying on the ground, misled by his killer's false account. Nowak was later pronounced dead from blood loss.
The transcript was released on June 24, 2026, alongside a formal apology from Hampshire Constabulary. Vickrum Singh Digwa, now a convicted murderer serving a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years, had told police that Nowak attacked him first and knocked off his turban in a racially motivated assault. That lie cost Nowak his life.
Eight Minutes That Proved Fatal on a Southampton Street
Digwa stabbed Nowak five times with a 21cm ceremonial dagger on December 3, 2025, in the Portswood area of Southampton. The Sun reported that Nowak repeatedly told arriving officers, "I've been stabbed" and "I can't breathe." One officer replied, "Don't think you have, mate."
At roughly three minutes after arrival, Nowak stopped breathing. Officers uncuffed him and began CPR. At 7 minutes and 33 seconds, they cut his clothing and found the chest wound. According to Head Topics, paramedics arrived at 8 minutes and 49 seconds. Police told them they had "just discovered a stab wound in his chest."
Digwa's Wicked Lie Redirected Police Away from the Victim
Digwa stayed at the scene after the attack. His brother had called 999. Digwa told officers Nowak was the aggressor and claimed the incident was a hate crime targeting his turban. This account shifted police focus toward detaining Nowak rather than treating him as a victim requiring urgent medical care.
The Evening Standard reported that the bodycam transcript captures the exact moment an officer spotted the wound, saying, "Yes, he's got a stab... there's a mark there." By then, critical minutes had already passed. Digwa was found guilty of murder by a Southampton Crown Court jury on May 28, 2026, and sentenced on June 1.
Senior Officer Apologizes as Inquest Is Announced
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France issued a public apology on June 24. "I am sorry that Henry couldn't be saved that night," he said. "I'm sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness." France acknowledged that officers were deceived but stopped short of blaming them directly.
Area Coroner Jason Pegg confirmed a jury inquest at Winchester Coroner's Court. The inquiry will examine whether any police act or omission contributed to Nowak's death. According to Head Topics, this is an Article 2 investigation — meaning the state must account for whether it failed to protect Nowak's right to life.
Family's Grief and Calls for National Police Reform
Henry's father, Mark Nowak, said police "left our son to die then treated his killer with decency." He described Henry as "careful, principled, and full of promise." Henry was a first-year finance student at the University of Southampton when he was killed.
Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones called the death a "national tragedy" and announced plans to write to the Prime Minister requesting a review of laws allowing religious exemptions for carrying bladed weapons. The Sun reported that Hampshire Constabulary expects the IOPC investigation to lead to mandatory national retraining on trauma assessment at hostile scenes.
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